Starfall
by VanillaSpiders
Summary: AU. Danny Fenton knows little of his past. His only connections are an ice cold ring that doesn't fit, and an even colder man named Vlad. The only lessons others can obtain from this tale are simple: Never push a loyal person past the point of no return, and a good Knight will do anything for their King. Pompous pep.
1. Out of Time

**Yo I have no idea what I'm doing but this is the first pompous pep thing I've ever done, and it's a AU to boot. Here goes something. **

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><p>"<em><strong>Mirror mirror on the wall,<br>Can you picture me at all?  
>I could be whatever I want to be…"<strong>_

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><p>Danny Fenton woke up one morning, and was startled out of bed by someone pounding on the other side of the door. His sleepy brain panicked and apparently forgot about the use of any of his limbs for a split second. He landed with a crash of limbs and clothes and the comforter, which had tangled round his legs.<p>

"HEY FEN-TURD, IT'S TIME TO GET UP! Dad says if you're sleeping in you're toast this time, you hear? You've got a lot of work this morning to do before lunch you little shrimp!"

"I'm up! Dash, Dash I said I'm up you can stop hitting on the door!" The boy called up from the floor.

The pounding did stop then, and that surprised Danny. Dash never listened to him. Usually he retaliated worse in fact. Danny was so focused on freeing himself and trying to look where his boots had gone that he didn't hear the conversation that had started in the hall. He also didn't hear the lower, decidedly deadly tone that ended said conversation and caused Dash to leave.

What Danny did notice, was when the knob turned and the door creaked open gently and a tall thin man stepped into the room.

"Really Daniel, again? The second time this month…I thought you set your alarm." The man commented smoothly. He was already dressed for the day in the clothes of a stable worker, long silver hair pulled back out of his face in a way that shouldn't have been as handsome as it was.

Danny went scarlet at the gentle chiding and made more clumsy attempts to get up, get dressed and still look for his boots. He really wasn't a good multitasker at all.

"Vlad! Ah-I did!" He managed to say firmly. "I just, I left the window open, and I guess the temperature dropped or something because, uh…" He had scrambled up by then and was glancing sheepishly over the small bed to look at the clock sitting on his dresser.

"…I guess the frost got to it again." The boy mumbled shyly, rubbing an arm.

Vlad sighed and shook his head, but smiled wanly when Danny glanced blue eyes over to him.

"Hurry down and get breakfast before that oaf eats the plates too. I will make your bed, Little Badger." The man instructed. He bent down and reached behind the door, pulling out Danny's missing boot. He held it up and raised an eyebrow, and Danny blinked.

"How did—wait nevermind, really?"

"That idiot was right, there is more work than usual to be done today. They've over booked the lessons and you need to get the horses ready along with your usual chores. Now, hurry, you'll need all the strength you can get."

Danny nodded as he sat on the bed, pulling on his socks.

"Sweet, thanks Vlad!" Danny light up like the summer sun coming in through his window. He shot by the man, pulling on his shirt and grabbing his boot. He'd hop down the stairs of the farm house and into the kitchen like that, Vlad knew. He decided against watching, for fear of giving himself a heart attack.

But then, that was nothing new. Daniel had that effect on him.

As Danny scrambled downstairs to make it in time for breakfast, the silver haired man did as he'd said, closing the door before doing so though. He smoothed the worm comforter down and finally picked up the alarm on the little wooden bedside table.

It was ice cold to the touch. A thin sheen of frost coated its side and had no doubt gotten into the backing. Vlad held it to his ear, and shook it. No gears could be heard, no life at all. But there was a problem with Danny's simple assumption. The chill was covering the side that faced the boy's bed, right by his pillow where his head lay at night.

"Yes, you were right Your Highness." Vlad spoke softly to himself as he shook his head.

"The frost did indeed get to it. And you. This isn't good at all." The man sighed heavily and took the clock with him to dispose of. No one else could see this.

A part of Vlad had hoped this day wouldn't come. The other part was relived it did, and all of him was equally apprehensive about it.

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><p>Danny meanwhile, had only managed to get an egg, a piece of bacon and thankfully a slice of toast at the breakfast table. Still, he couldn't complain, because it was good food and Mrs. Baxter was an amazing cook and a kinder woman than the rest of the family she belonged to. Well, Mr. Baxter wasn't the worst, he supposed. There were meaner bosses, and anyway the Baxter family was giving him and Vlad board in exchange for running the stable they owned.<p>

"Get along boy, we've got lessons coming at ten, eleven and twelve thirty, after lunch." Mr. Baxter started the second Danny's boots hit the linoleum.

"Yessir." Danny nodded listening to the words and committing which horses he had to get ready.

"And keep that dog out of the arena, or it's off to the pound with it."

Danny blushed when the reprimand came, biting his lip and nodding. Cujo, the mangy German shepherd that Danny had found one day in the back field when he was fixing a fence. Smart as a whip but playful as a puppy, Danny sometimes had the strange feeling the dog had been looking for him but that was impossible, wasn't it? Either way, he'd been unable to shake the dog, and any attempts to send it away caused it to come back, and no one answered the Lost Dog ad Dash had desperately put up in hopes to get the mutt out of the barn.

"Oh, you know that dog's been a great help with the rats since he showed up, honey." Mrs. Baxter walked over from the stove at that moment, an older woman who loved her family but understood her husband's want for business and her son's attitude.

"Besides dear, its Danny's dog and it keeps finding its way back to him every time." Mrs. Baxter was the kind of person Danny hoped his mother had been like, if he had one. She was the only one in the family who didn't make him feel like a complete waste of space. Sometimes thought she had a secret smile in the corner of her mouth that made Danny think she knew something no one else did, except maybe Vlad.

Mr. Baxter grunted and went back to his own breakfast.

At that point Mrs. Baxter set some jam down before him for his toast, and Danny thanked her. He nibbled on his toast as Dash and his father talked about last night spots game they'd caught on tv, and Danny thought. He thought about the work he had to do today, the cleaning and grooming and mucking.

He thought for a moment about a dream he'd had last night. He could almost remember it for once, but it was thick beyond the fog of sleep and distraction. Even closing his eyes wouldn't get the dream back. They slipped through his fingers like fish and darted every attempt he made to imagine them. Though if Danny was going to be truly honest sometimes those dreams felt more like a memory. But on the other hand, there was no one that was possible, he'd never lived in a castle and he certainly never had anyone other than Vlad as his friend. He didn't know any of the faces in his dreams, even if they were getting more and more frequent lately.

There was always Vlad though.

Vlad Masters, who'd taken care of him, brought him to the stables where he was manager and had coaxed the Baxters into giving him a job. And if Danny takes a moment longer, he can think back to when he woke up in the hospital, in a white sterile room where he met the silver-haired man and who'd spoken to him soothingly, promised he was fine. Told him his name and filled in the blanks that he could of Danny's memory.

Despite the uncertainty of his past and the many questions he had circling around in his mind; Danny had lived at the Baxter stables for almost three months already. Besides, like Vlad had said in the beginning, to answers Danny's questions about where his family was, if he had any, or where his home was, would take time and money. Money that they simply did not have, Danny knew. So he tried to be grateful, and worked at the stable the best he could. Vlad's presence was a constant source of comfort for the boy, and it helped, even if he did cause some curious butterflies in his stomach Danny was dutifully trying to ignore.

Danny had after some trepidation decided to trust him. Besides Vlad's words and the ring on the chain around his neck, he had nothing else.

Right, that ring…

Danny finished his orange juice and collected his plates and utensils, taking them to the sink. Mrs. Baxter said he didn't have to do them, but smiled warmly at him and called him a gentlemen when he did anyway. This morning as he was drying his fork he took a moment to reach his hand down the front of his shirt and pull the chain up until the small band appeared from between his chest and shirt.

Still cold. It was always cold, like ice, no matter how tight Danny grasped it in his warm hands or how long he kept it against his heartbeat. Aside from the temperature it was just fake gold, Danny had been told. He'd asked Vlad about it but for once the man hadn't been able to give him an answer, but asked him to hang on to it.

'_I found it with you, little badger, in the woods. I'd hang on to it if I were you…it could be important.' _

Danny recalled the words and shook his head, sighing.

No, it was probably just costume jewelry.

Nothing about him was important, after all.

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><p>Danny headed out to the stables in the back of the old farmhouse, sighing quietly as he took in the fresh air of the morning. He had only been a few minutes late, so the morning sun was only just getting into the still purple, faded blueish sky. The boy paused, standing before the stable doors as he looked out into the fields and slopping valley far behind the pastures. Beyond the last fenced in area was the woods, thick and looming even from here. This morning they looked particularly foreboding, but perhaps Danny's mind was playing tricks on him. Was he seeing things, in the deep of the woods, fading in and out of the sluggish fog?<p>

It was then Danny was tackled to the ground, and landed heavily on his back. With the weight came excited yipping and a wet tongue slapping ever bit of his face the excited dog could reach.

"Gyah—ick, oh—C-Cujo! Cujo!" Danny broke out into laughter, used to the dog's loving dive bombing. He had no idea how Cujo was as strong as he was though, for Heaven's sake. The dog was a train wreck of power but at least he meant well. Or at least, he looked like he meant well.

"Off, _off_! You little goofball," Danny laughed, hauling the gangly puppy off his chest and setting him on the ground. He quickly clambered to his feet, chuckling as the puppy ran in excited circles around him, his black collar and tag jingling as he followed his master's boots into the stable.

Cujo snuffled along the ground as Danny pulled horses one by one. He spent time brushing, and tacking up, and only had to lead them out to the arena for the trail riders for that day. There was already a few people there, and Danny offered a shy smile to them as he handed over reins and helmets.

They sort of acknowledged him, but it was little more than half smiles with no teeth, or vacant nods as they listened to Mr. Baxter speaking. Danny sighed, not sure what he was expecting. He was the stable boy; his job was little more than bring the horses and take away the horses. Sometimes he wished he could lead a trail ride but had been denied so much he'd stopped asking.

The horses squared away, and the trail riders setting off through the pastures that would take them back into the woods, Danny went back into the tack room. Grabbing a saddle that he intended to strip and clean, he stopped in his tracks when a cold chill washed over him.

What was…?

He gasped, hardly noticing a thin white cloud of his own breath as he spun, trying to track the moving shadow in the corners. Danny cried out, eyes widening as he saw something dart under a box, possibly behind it.

Something didn't feel right. Whatever it was moving around the room was trying to remain unseen, and it was so creepy and vile feeling Danny clutched the saddle tighter and fought the urge to bolt. Something went 'bump' and 'shhhhk' under the box and Danny's hair stood on end so bad he was afraid they'd leave his skin entirely.

A second later Cujo was loping into the room, barking and growling up a storm. He shot past by Danny, collided with the crate and scrambled behind it, tail and butt still visible as he wedged himself between wall and box. There was more bumping and scratching and small little shrieks, but maybe Danny was imaging it?

"Cujo? Cujo!" Worried when he heard the dog yelp amongst his snarls and scrabbling, Danny dropped the saddle and grabbed hold of the pup, wrenching him out. Cujo resisted, clawing and biting something until finally Danny yanked him free.

The dog howled in his grip, teeth bared, and struggled for only a second until his nose wiggled and he turned to look at the Danny.

The dog blinked at him. Danny, confused as all get out, blinked back. Suddenly Cujo relaxed, tail wagging so hard it was hitting Danny's side, and the puppy's ears perked. When Danny only kept staring, the pup barked and began attacking Danny's face with his tongue, and it was like there hadn't been anything in the tack room at all.

Danny set the dog down and debated checking under the crate for whatever it is that Cujo had gone after.

"It was…probably just a rat, right buddy?"

Cujo woofed brightly at him, tail moving like a sail.

Danny shot the dog a small smile, and mustered up his courage. But upon dragging the crate from its spot, he found nothing of great interest. There was nothing there at all. Except dust and dirt.

"It, er, was just my mind playing tricks on me then. Yeah, that was it. Had to be." Cujo barked again and chased his tail. Taking a few deep breaths, and noting the room did feel less chilly, Danny grabbed the fallen saddle and hoisted it into his arms. He left the tack room to clean it though, deciding he needed to do this job in the sun to go it properly.

And _not_ because he was afraid to go into the tack room.

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><p>Thankfully, nothing out of ordinary happened. At least, not until just before dinner. The sun was thinking about setting, and was a glowing ball of orange fire as it headed lazily toward the mountain tops in the west. All the trails were done for the day, the woods being too thick for a human to admire, and too eerie for a horse to concentrate on walking and not spooking.<p>

There were rumors the woods were haunted, and the Baxter Stables made a killing in the month of October. Vlad had often scolded Danny for listening to those tales though, so Danny didn't mention the concept of ghosts much. Just thought, and wondered.

Right now though, it was late August, and it was hot and the heat hung in the air like a blanket. As he was sweeping out the walkway, Danny vaguely hoped there'd be a thunderstorm tonight. At least some rain to cool everything, not to mention Mrs. Baxter let Cujo sleep with Danny when they had dangerous weather.

It was then his boss approached him, without so much as a hello.

"One of the horses threw a shoe boy, out on the trails. I need you to go find it."

"Ah…" Danny froze, feeling very much like a deer caught in the headlights. He was supposed to go out, all by himself? But the sun was almost down! And the woods were…maybe…slightly possibly haunted.

Suddenly, as if by magic, Vlad appeared at his left side. He'd walked right up behind him, and the boy hadn't even noticed or heard anything, jeez. Danny jumped a mile when he spoke, and clutched the broom handle sheepishly as he listened to Vlad all but leap to his defense.

"Mr. Baxter, you don't happen to know just _where_ on the trail the shoe went, did you? It would probably be good of Daniel to know before he went looking on that long path." At Baster's half glare at Vlad, the man volleyed one of his own, which Danny thought was a much better sneer than their bosses. But he wasn't about to say that little opinion out loud.

"A land mark. Anything. Throw the boy a bone." Vlad prompted, a hint of sarcasm in his words. Danny had to think about something sad to stop his laughter.

"Somewhere on the south trail, just check there first." Mr. Baxter grunted, and strode away towards the house, leaving Danny and Vlad.

Vlad sighed, turning to the boy.

"I'm not sure I like you going that far into the woods at this time of night, Little Badger."

Danny grinned and brushed the last of the straw away.

"I thought you said there was no such thing as ghosts."

"I said there was no such things as ghosts _here_." Vlad raised a haughty eyebrow, clearly trying to save face. It didn't work, Danny leaned on his tool and smiled like the little shit he was.

"Aw. You're worried about me, that's really sweet, fruitloop." Danny had called him that with intent to insult, back when he'd first woken up to a strange man leaning over him trying to tell him things. At the time Danny had been nothing more than a scared, lost little boy, and who could blame him?

The nickname had just sort of…stuck. Danny wasn't sure why. It felt right, like Vlad's nickname did for him. Come to think of it, there was nothing Danny felt more sure about than the wiry man standing before him. If Danny had only one thing, it was the comfort of Vlad, even if he was a bit pompous and tended to worry over him too much. At least he had Vlad as a constant.

Vlad clucked his tongue reproachfully at the nickname. "You know, I was going to come with you Little Badger, up until that little remark. Now you can go get lost in the woods on your own. Perhaps you'll be eaten by a bear." Vlad commented idly.

"Yeah, right. As if I'd get lost." Danny considered something for a moment. "Or _you'd_ ever let me get lost. You're a _total_ mother hen, Vladdy."

"Well, _someone_ has to look out for your sorry ass, Daniel."

Despite the tone, his words stung deeper than Vlad intended. Danny blinked at the harsh reality of that statement and glanced away. Sensing his distress, Vlad immediately looked sorry.

"Ah….forgive me, Little Badger. I was only joking."

"It's alright."

"Which means it's not." The silver-haired man sighed heavily and drew the boy close when he saw the boy's head hang.

Danny took a moment, but then he hugged back with fervor, almost clutching briefly. He squeezed Vlad once, listening to the older man's soft assurances and did let the words go.

"Every moment I spend with you is a pleasure, you know that. I will never abandon you."

"…Y-you're being a sap again. And a fruitloop."

"Alas, I suppose I am."

Danny was infinitely grateful for it though.

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><p>The forest that sprawled behind the back pastures was no more a forest park than a bandit was a good house sitter. The deep woods were painted to Danny (usually by Dash, who spared no horrific detail of the spooky atmosphere of the woods) as a place that was only tolerable by its scenic trails the horses went through. The place was all well and good as a tourist trap, and the Baxters were only too happy to take paying riders through the trails while regaling them with old legends of ghosts and other creepy things that crawled in the undergrowth. The almost black green and yellowed moss was spongy and odd. Going off the dirt and stone path was inadvisable, as a horse or human could twist an ankle or get hopelessly lost in the thick of the trees. The trees themselves had a nasty habit of dropping branches or nuts in odd places, causing sounds that spooked the horses as much as they did the eager to be scared riders.<p>

Danny knew for a fact the Baxters didn't believe a lick of half of what they told to customers, but this business, according to Mr. Baxter, wasn't about the truth. According to Vlad, the woods out back were and as deep and deadly as they were painted to be. He'd even gone so far as to say there were scarier things about there, and that Danny would be wise to thank his lucky stars the woods was the most of their problems.

On some level, the boy agreed with his friend. But as he neared the first trail opening and stood before it, he began thinking something entirely different. He took one look at the thin birches cowering over the path from the other darker, thicker trees, and the thick tangly brush and decided Vlad had been lying through his teeth. The forest looked, and for all intense purposes _felt_, as bad as Dash and others had said.

Danny wasn't convinced that stupid horseshoe was as valuable as Mr. Baxter had insisted. But how he could back now? At best, Dash would never let him live it down. And at worst, Vlad would be caught in the crossfire's and most likely be made to go in Danny's place to search for the lost shoe. Danny could live with Dash's endless teasing, but he couldn't in good conscience put his protector through such an inconvenience, nor live with Vlad being disappointed in him. Not after all Vlad had done for him.

Besides, he had brought Cujo. (As if he could shake the dog from his heels ever.) So all squirrels and moving shadows that may or may not have existed better be ware.

Against his better judgment, young Danny trudged into the woods, following the trail. He had gone maybe ten feet before he felt like he'd been swallowed up. Oblivious, Cujo padded at his side, ears and tongue flapping as if this were a walk in a bright light park. No squirrels rustled, no birds sang. The forest was still, as if something were holding its breath and watching him as he moved through it. He brushed that thought immediately away, there was no need to scare himself, especially when Dash was so eager to do it. Danny kept an eye out for the missing shoe, comforted by the fact it couldn't have dropped that far off the trail. It was probably sitting in the middle of the path and Danny would be able to scoop it up and high tail out of here.

Sunlight, dying and red, filtered through the leaves above. At least, it gave it its best effort and was rewarded by managing to freckle the ground in a few places. In another setting, it would be appreciated, perhaps even pretty. But to Danny, it just seemed like something was choking out the light, and casting the forest and most of its inhabitants in a gloomy murk.

_Graveyards_ had more life than this forest, for Heaven's sake.

A barking jerked Danny from his thoughts. He looked down, halting his walking. Cujo gazed up at him, a stick lodged between his jaws. When Danny met his eyes, his tail wagged hopefully.

"Pfft. No, we're looking for a horseshoe, Cujo. Horseshoe."

The puppy cocked it's head, ears pricking as Danny spoke. Danny leaned down, ruffling the dog fur on his head and giving a half smile.

"Can you help me look buddy?"

The pup stared at him for a beat, looking every inch the clueless, confused dog. But then he set the stick down and trotted away, nose the ground and sniffing. A few moments later, he decided to chase a light beam, and wandered away on a whim. Danny shook his head fondly and straightened up, following the dog halfheartedly as he searched the forest floor too.

Danny was on his hands and knees trying to peer under a hopeful looking cluster of shrubs when a dull clank sounded to his left. He lifted his head, turning to stare at Cujo, and then at the horseshoe he'd dropped by the boy's boney hand.

The puppy's tongue was lolling and he was getting droll everywhere, but Danny was too shocked and excited to care. Danny thought, not for the first time, that Cujo was simply not like other dogs.

"Cujo!" Danny cried sitting up on a kneeling position. "I can't believe—where did you—oh, c'mere you goof!" Danny laughed as he picked up both shoe and dog, the latter trying to cheerfully give him a tongue bath. Too delighted with his task being completed in only twenty or so minutes, Danny let Cujo do whatever he wanted for a bit, before he set him down gently but firmly.

"C'mon Cujo, let's head back." Danny grinned, making a mental note to give the dog an extra helping of his kibble. He held the horseshoe in his hand, determined to not let go of it until he could put it triumphantly in Mr. Baxter's meaty hand. Danny was so relieved he felt giddy, glad for once that something was going right in his life! That it had all gone off without a hitch.

And that's when the wind picked up.

That's also when Danny felt strangely freezing again, as a chilling sensation crawled up his skin and clutched as his spine with icy fingers. He gasped, pulling his arms around himself in a feeble attempt to rub the goose bumps off his thin arms, even as he heard something _big_ coming through the brush at him, from a particular shady cluster of trees. It was cast in shadow, figure only partially seen, but Danny did see the glowing green eyes boring into his. They were thin, slitted and hungry, and served to terrify the young man more.

Even as his master flinched, Cujo lowered on his front paws and growled, low in his throat. It sounded much too deep to belong to the young little puppy, but Danny didn't notice that. All he noticed was the huge shape swinging down at him, and he realized it was aiming for him. Instincts kicked his body into gear, and Danny threw himself into a clumsy roll, just avoiding being grasped by…something big.

"H-hey!" The tumble had hurt, but he forced himself up and turned in time to see Cujo's small little body leap at the hidden figure. Despite the dog's small stature, they both went rolling, and Danny thought he heard a grunt from whatever it was Cujo had tackled.

"Cujo!" His fear for himself turned into fear for his dog, and Danny scrambled clumsily to his feet, moving towards where he'd last seen his dog vanish.

There was growling and barking, and it sounded so much bigger than usual, as did the shapes rolling and colliding in the distance. What was that big thing fighting with Cujo and his would be attacker? He couldn't even see the little dog anymore. Danny gracefully slipped on some moss, losing their position as he landed on his butt hard. He groaned, fumbling for the horseshoe and trying to find the fight in the dark of the forest.

"C-Cujo! Here boy! Come back!" He tried shouting, realizing his mistake when he heard something on two feet coming toward him. It wasn't Cujo, and he had just given away his position. A position that was easy to trump, what with him sitting on the slippery moss and entirely exposed, lovely.

"W-what do you want with me!? L-leave me alone!" Danny tried, all but crab walking back.

His heart beat wildly in his chest, sending a rushing through his ears as he watched the form with pale green eyes and fiery hair stalking toward him. Danny could only whimper, a dozen thoughts racing through his mind. Most of them involved wishing for Vlad.

Everything seemed to come to a standstill though, when a fourth figure lunged from the ground up. It solidified, but remained floating a good six inches from the leaf litter, a cape fluttering behind it from an unknown breeze. Danny froze, the other person froze, he didn't even hear Cujo anymore. The cold came back, and Danny forgot how to breathe for a moment. This person was tall, they towered it seemed.

Completely hidden from view, Danny couldn't see the metallic figure anymore. He could see whoever it was standing before him, spine straight. The cape hid his back and shoulders and torso, but not his black boots or even blacker hair, pointed into arcs that resembled a devil's horns. Danny didn't know whether to scream, run, or both. So he settled for lying there like a complete idiot and staring at what was going on before him.

"You're outnumbered, and you know that. Unless you'd like to try against those odds, I suggest you leave. **Now**." Came a deep, oil slick voice from the caped figure. It was tight and dark, and he (for the voice was definitely male) spoke with the tone that suggested he was someone who had his commands obeyed so often he didn't need to shout them anymore. Whoever this person was, they were used to being obeyed, and the tone was a dark as it was cruel and cold.

There was a growl of sheer defiance presumably from Danny's first attacker.

"This isn't over, and _you_ know that, Plasmius." The voice seethed, this one male as well. "You can't protect the brat forever."

"Try me." Came a spat.

Danny hardly registered the words, they glossed over in his mind as he reeled to understand the situation. Distantly, he thought he heard Cujo's collar tinkling as the dog moved. But it sounded far away, and Danny wondered if Cujo was behind the pale eyed monster, meaning they were trapped, while Danny was more or less…protected. _Protected_?

Were they protecting him?

Cujo he understood. But this newcomer…

There was something, a silky sound in the air, a noise Danny couldn't quite place. But it sounded familiar. His first instinct was that someone had left, vanishing like a ghost into the—

A _ghost_.

Oh, god.

"W-who…who are you?" Danny shivered, watching his apparent rescuer land on the forest floor and turn with an elegant swish of his cape. Danny's blue eyes widened as he was given his first look at the face of the man, and he almost wished he hadn't been. Danny's jaw dropped.

The hair was the same as the back, but the skin was a deathly blue, and sunken in like a slowly decomposing flesh. It looked too smooth to be dead, but was the color nonetheless. The blazing red eyes that stared down into him, pupiless and all seeing, were lowered as if the ghost was very bored by this whole situation. His entire body was engulfed in a soft white glow, casting them just a bit more light, even as the sun was falling. An eyebrow arched, the calculating gaze on him that was softening to something that didn't quite match the harsh tone he'd used earlier.

He still looked creepy. But not…angry. He looked almost worried, to be honest. Danny didn't understand why.

He didn't answer Danny's question, but Danny didn't notice anymore. He was too busy staring at the elegant clothes and folded arms. The posh, arrogant body language of the man was nothing at all like the hulking, savage form of the first ghost, so maybe this one…wasn't so bad? Or at least, if he wanted to attack him, he certainly would have done it by now. Right? Danny swallowed nervously. His gaze tore from the ghost, reluctantly, but was greeted by the sight of a huge hulking green monster. It looked vaguely dog like. As it lumbered a few steps closer to the ghost's back, something glowing was falling from its slobbering jaws as its beady red eyes roamed restlessly. When its eyes fell on Danny, something wagged behind it. The giant green beast was panting.

A spiked collar on its neck tinkled gently.

Suddenly a black hand waved before his face. Danny coughed, raising an arm as he tried to wave the sparkling dust cloud away, but it was no use. He'd breathed it in and seconds later felt strangely weak and sleepy. As he slowly toppled backwards into the soft moss on the floor, the dark leaves fluttered above him in a cool breeze. He felt himself lifted against a chest and into arms, and couldn't find a voice to protest or even make his body do much of anything. He was awake long enough to just make out that voice again. This time it matched the softer expression, for it was low and gentle.

"Everything's alright. Just rest now…this…"

And the final words he heard, rather soothing as Danny's eyes slipped shut.

"This is only a dream."

Danny was inclined to believe it. He had to be, because the dreams he had that followed the first one had no basis more reliable than a wandering wisp of a shadow. These strange dreams melted into a honey golden glaze of flying above the same forest that had just terrified him, while the sun set beside them. Something, maybe a bell, tinkled as a green shape flew alongside. Perhaps it was a dragon. Dragons could fly. Danny heard howls, and the low rumble of his savor, but they soon faded into the back of his mind, like thunder rolling over a distant hill. A cooling breeze brushed his messy hair, but not too cooling, as it was punctured by warm arms holding him secure and safe.

But it was only a dream.

* * *

><p>When Danny awoke, he didn't <em>feel<em> particularly different. His mouth felt a little fuzzy, and he wondered humorlessly if there were mushrooms growing on the back of his tongue. He cracked open tired powder blue eyes, because he had felt a hand under his bangs and pressed against his forehead. He wanted to know how it was, but he already had an inkling. There was only one person who touched him that tenderly, and Danny felt a rush of affection for the man leaning over him worriedly.

"…Vlad?" Danny rasped.

"Are you alright Little Badger? You gave me quite a fright there." Smiling, Vlad removed his hand, but not before a fond brush though Danny's bangs.

"I…what?" Danny managed, voice still thick with sleep as he sat up with help from Vlad. "What happened? I, the forest…horseshoe…Cujo?"

A string of words that would confuse almost anyone else. Vlad was rather used to Danny's rambles, and they both knew the reason Danny had gone into the forest.

"I found you unconscious outside the forest Daniel, yes. Thanks to that mutts incessant barking he chased whatever scared you so very far away, I imagine." Vlad wasn't particularly fond of Cujo, but Danny wasn't worried. Vlad didn't really like anyone or anything, except for him. And Cujo _did_ tend to track muddy paws all over Vlad's quarters adjacent to the tack room. Now though, he sounded rather grateful about the dog's presence, and very relieved.

"You had the horseshoe at least, and Cujo is down in the barn asleep in the hay, per usual."

Danny offered a sheepish smile, taking the glass of water offered to him. As he drank it, he noticed he was back in his room in the Baxter home, Vlad sitting in a chair at his side. It was nighttime, a mopey dripping candle was the only light in the room. Danny guessed it must be after 10pm, because after 10pm you weren't allowed to use electricity in the house unless for emergencies. Candles of course, were just fine, even if did make eerie, throwing shadows that unsettled the boy's stomach.

And after whatever it was that happened in the woods, Danny's stomach was more than a little upset. He shook his head in confusion and rubbed his head, it still felt heavy.

"I, something happened in the forest, I think. There was this monster…thing…it was metal but its hair was _green_ Vlad, and so were its eyes a-and there was another one! Two actually!"

"Daniel, don't be ridiculous. It was probably a trick of the light, Little Badger. Besides," He went on firmly when Danny opened his mouth, and a critical look from Vlad made the boy close it, "You are safe now. Nothing will hurt you. Nothing can get you s—"

"So long as you're here." Danny recited the words, giving a fond eye roll. But they did make him feel better. They were the first words Danny had heard after waking up from The Accident. Vlad took the empty glass from his hands and set it on the bedside table.

"Exactly." Vlad stood up, drawing the worn comforter up over the boy. Danny scotched obediently back down into a lying position, and Vlad laid the blankets over him.

"It is late, and there will no doubt, be more work tomorrow. Try to get some rest Daniel, and put that forest out of your mind. There is no such thing as ghosts here."

"Yeah…" Danny sighed softly. "I guess."

"Very good." A warm hand brushed his hair once more, and Danny gave a sleepy smile at the gentle gesture from the normally arrogant older man.

"Night, fruitloop." Danny's smile widened when he heard a derisive snort.

"Good night, little badger."

Vlad snuffed the candle and left the room. Only a bit later did Danny finally fall asleep. Thankfully, he did not dream.

* * *

><p>There was someone waiting for him when he walked into the barn.<p>

Vlad knew it, could sense the other specter. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, and he narrowed his eyes as he stopped in the dark hallway. He chose not to enter just yet, and there was a chance, slim though it was, he hadn't been spotted. In a ghastly ring of black light he changed forms, years of instinct that had kept him alive made him do it. Besides, he didn't _like_ being human, even if he was half human. He was susceptible to so many things, as much as his precious charge was. Feeling much better now that he was his old self, all dark and vampiric looking, the ghost paused to fix his cape. Yes, much better.

He slunk into the room, considering to simply annihilate whoever it was—but stopped short when he heard the ticking of a clock. Lovely. Just what he needed. The end to a perfect day.

"…I do not have the time or patience for another one of our '_talks'_ Clockwork." Plasmius hissed through sharp canines as he strutted into his room. The nerve of the ghost, encroaching on his territory. Well, it wasn't his but—ugh. Old habits and dying hard and all that. Vlad made a mental note that he did not have any territory anymore, no possessions. Except, of course, the boy sleeping safely up in the house.

The ghost turned to gaze at him.

"But you had the time to nearly let the Prince fall into Dark's clutches."

"And I was supposed to know Skulker was hunting him? Exactly who do I reach the Ghost Zone, o mighty Time Traveler," Vlad voice dripped with anger and sarcasm as he eyed Clockwork.

"Besides, he didn't get the boy." Vlad had to make that point, if only to reassure himself.

"Barely." Clockwork snorted, and that did manage to annoy Vlad. Danny's wellbeing being threatened had that effect on him.

There was the feeling of importance between the both of them, each trying to outshine the other. It was a bit like two old mountains meeting each other. Each was great its own right, and each expected to be respected or feared like they always were. They bowed to no one. The problem was neither one of them was about to give the other the satisfaction of showing any of that. No one had ever said anything about what would happen when two immovable forces meet each other. To be honest, the only thing that bound them to speak at all and suffer the other's existence was currently curled up and dozing in his bed, safe this chilly summer night.

So, Plasmius and Clockwork were at a stalemate.

It was broken when they both turned to the doorway, where they heard nails clicking. There was a strange shifting sound of fur and muscles and bones rendering and reforming. A moment later a deep growl rose, it shook the walls as Cujo stuck his now massive box like head through the door. His hackles were raised as he glared at Clockwork, and Vlad decided the mutt wasn't all that bad.

Clockwork on the other hand, didn't even sort of look amused. He looked back to Vlad, pointing at the huge ghost hound.

"Thanks to the Prince's hound you were saved. I don't foresee another close call ending in your favor again, you know. Someone of your brains…You really should have counted on Dark hiring the Zone's greatest hunter in attempt to snuff out the last heir." Clockwork waved a hand and the massive Cujo snarled but, as he couldn't fit through the doorway at his current size, had to live with making half hearted swipes at the suddenly ancient looking ghost.

"If you've only come here to tell me of what's not going to happen, I could do with a little less of your nutshelling. It's rude, you know." Plasmius sniffed, swiftly changing back into his human form. He was still tried from changing before, but Skulker didn't need to know how weakened he was now, so far from the Ghost Zone. He could hold his original form for maybe three hours at the most.

"Is that all you came for?" He spat, deciding to organize papers on his desk. Perhaps if he ignored Clockwork, the insufferable twit would leave sooner.

"That and, one other thing."

Vlad spared the Time Keeper a look over his shoulder from where he stood at his desk, to show he had some of his attention. Cujo was still snarling threateningly, the noise a deadly backdrop to Clockwork's quiet, even words.

"The Shield is weakening." Four words that sent Vlad rounding on him, his eyes blazing red with fury and, ah yes. There it was. Fear. An alien emotion on a once otherwise bored man. A bit like a rat discovering it's been trapped into a corner, if you asked Clockwork.

"_What_?!" Vlad looked like he intended to start a fight with the other ghost right there and now, simply to get out a little anger. Despite this dangerous force three feet from him, and another outside the door, Clockwork calmly checked one of his many pocket watches.

"It won't be long before it cracks and the boy's powers return to him. I know you've noticed the signs."

Vlad thought of the frost covering the alarm clock, the way the boy shivered in his sleep when ghosts were near, and said nothing.

"You knew we couldn't hold it off forever. As great as his parents sacrifice was…"

"No. but I had hoped..." Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose, voice taking on an empty, hopeless tone. "That we'd have a little more time…"

Clockwork grinned faintly.

"Ah. But then, that's what everyone wants, Sir Plasmius. A little more time."

One the next tick from a moving hand, Clockwork whirled and vanished into thin air. Upon the intruder's sudden absence, Cujo stopped growling. The hulking beast sat on his rump, scratched behind his ear, and turned back into a small gangly puppy. He padded away, and it was like nothing had ever disturbed the night on the sleepy farm at all. Vlad remained still, staring his desk. A moment later he roared and flung the papers away, watching them flutter to the floor like slain butterflies. The outburst did nothing to settle his growing anger, and he scowled, heading for some shadows.

He had known of course, they were running out of time. He'd just hoped, for once, he'd been wrong.


	2. There's Something about Danny

**Everything else DP wise is on hiatus except for this story.**

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><p><em>"There's a world full of changing and you've just begun,<br>__don't let them tell you it's simply not done."_

* * *

><p>A couple days passed without incident, if you asked Danny. Some of the trees in the right field were dropping early apples in the yellow green summer. The heat was terrible, at least according to Dash and the rest of the family. They said they boiled by lunch time and Mrs. Baxter's lemonade sweated in its frosted glasses when they ate late lunch on the porch, hot sticky air surrounding them, because god forbid Mr. Baxter should pay for air conditioning. As the Baxter family complained of the heat, Danny blinked in confusion—because he felt rather cool to be honest, but knew better than to say something. And Vlad merely ate quietly beside him, sometimes refilling the boy's water glass or piling more vegetables on his plate, chiding him for not finishing them. The only thing of great excitement was one of the horses, Lucy, had her foal finally and Danny was allowed to be there and lend a hand in the birthing. He ended up sitting in the hay with a baby in his lap and a watchful mare leaning over them both. Vlad watched over them all with a critical gaze, but Danny laughed and told him to lighten up a little. Old Luce wouldn't trample him. Occasionally Lucy leaned down to whiffle Danny's black hair after checking on her foal, causing Danny to grin and pet her nose gently in return.<p>

Thankfully, Danny had always been good with animals, making his job at the Baxter stables that much easier. Some horses simply didn't tolerate Dash, and others took advantage of his flinches when they snorted and bullied him for it. Danny was small, unassuming, and scratched in all the right places. Danny was the only one who could handle or at least work with any horse, and get it saddled and ready in record time. Mr. Baxter gruffly praised him for it, Mrs. Baxter called him a sweetheart, and Dash punched his arm when no one was looking and called him a pansy.

And Vlad, Vlad merely oversaw Danny's work. But an appraising glance at a clean stall from him was worth more than anything to young Danny, who blushed and grinned whenever the serious man nodded at his handiwork. Thanks to Vlad's comments and pressing, Danny never found himself with more than he could muster. On particular hard days that not even Vlad could avoid, Danny found the man was more attentive than usual. Some nights Danny would trudge onto the second floor, dirty and covered in muck and other things, only to be shooed into the bathroom and the door shut on him. Vlad's voice would ring on the other side of the door, generally the same statement every time. If he didn't want Vlad to come in and do it for him, Danny had 30 minutes to scrub and soak in the bath, and clean himself up. The warm water of course, also soothed aching and overworked muscles. Embarrassed but secretly grateful, Danny would scurry to do as told and shyly peek out a good 20 minutes later, already dressed in a set of Dash's old night clothes. (He really _did_ have nothing to his name, and no money to fix such a tragedy.) The sleeves were so long he had to roll them up, and he had to tie the pant string of his pajamas extra tight. He would find one or two people there. Either Dash, arms crossed and waiting with a sour look on his face to use the bathroom, but that was only sometimes. _Every_ time Vlad would be standing there, with his perfect posture and looking down his long crooked nose at the boy. Danny would grin like an imp and push the door open wider to show he'd gotten himself clean. They would swap things, Vlad would be given his dirty clothes and towels, and Danny would have a warm cup of hot chocolate pressed into his calloused, pruned fingers. A secret addiction, Danny decided the hot coco tasted better when he realized Dash never got any, as it had been made by Vlad and there was always one serving only.

It always tasted amazing, and Danny would sit at the top of the stairs and listen to whatever Mr. Baxter was watching on tv as Mrs. Baxter knitted beside him. Dash might be with them, or up in his room. But every night, whether he had coco or not, Danny would join them, quietly, hidden from sight. If he closed his eyes and concentrated very hard, he could imagine he was sitting between them—but it was not them, but whoever his parents were. Cujo would be on the floor by his feet, Vlad in an arm chair reading across the room by lamplight. Sometimes, Danny gave himself siblings. He'd toyed between a young sibling, or an older, and often times fell on an older sister—though he never quite knew why.

Then of course, Vlad would come up the stairs, and gently usher him into his room and to his waiting bed. Some nights Danny fell asleep leaning against the railing, sometimes he protested quietly because he wanted to know what happened next on that night's show. But most nights he went with a nod and a yawn, getting up and wandering for his bed in the guest room. Danny would clamber in, sink into the pillow and maybe joke about Vlad being a mother hen, or a fruit loop. Vladdy took it like the patient man he was when it came to Danny, sometimes even teasing back. The first few weeks after The Accident, Danny had been entirely dependent on Vlad, but the man never complained or held it against him. If anything, Vlad acted like he'd been doing it his whole life, as if only the setting had changed and not the characters or script. It confused Danny to no end in the beginning, but he hadn't been able to talk until the second or third week of his recovery, and by then the point seemed mute. Danny realized what little he had, and decided to not look a gift horse in the mouth.

So he went along with it.

Besides, there was something secretly pleasing, whenever Vlad pulled his chair out for him at meals. Or the condescending, annoyed tone he took with everyone else around them, Dash especially was often on his list. The boy felt a rush of gratitude and affection whenever Vlad drew a bath or tried to comb his hair into place. And of course Danny liked when Vlad made him the hot chocolate, or taught him something new to do with the horses or stable work. There was something oddly intoxicating about being liked by someone who loathes everyone else.

The usual routine of the Stables was broken when Danny went to bring the horses in one day. Cujo was with him, like usual. For all the dog's energy and completely puppy mentality, he sat when Danny told him and knew to not to spook the horses. Everything went fine and usual up until he got to the back pasture, confused as to why there was a horse trotting and neighing anxiously. There shouldn't even be any horses in the back lot, because it had some planks loose and Danny was supposed to fix them tomorrow. Upon closer inspection he discovered it was Lucy, and she was kicking up small tufts of grass and dirt as she paced back and forth. She continued her baying, despite Danny's calls. He slipped through the slats without thinking, his thin frame letting him move easily. Trotting to the back of the paddock, his heart missed a few beats as he noticed the entire lack of Lucy's foal, and the space between some broken wooden planks. Just big enough, of course, for a young foal to fit through with little effort. The woods loomed over the back pasture with treacherous black limbs.

"Lucy?! Lucy—No it's okay, calm down girl!" Danny tried. Even the gentlest of horses could turn vicious in an attempt to protect their young, Danny wouldn't have blamed her if she kicked or bite him.

He'd just managed to coax Lucy to the middle of the pasture, heading for the gate when Dash appeared.

"What's taking so long Fenturd? I want to go in for dinner already, hurry it up!"

"Dash, Lucy's foal is missing! He must have gotten through the fence—" Danny paused, realizing whose turn it was to turn out the horses this morning. Dash's shocked, suddenly embarrassed body language really drove the point home. Danny felt anger curdle in his stomach, and he let Lucy go in favor of stomping up to Dash. (The horse bolted for the far edge, still searching for her foal.) The fence was still between them, so Danny hopped it and landed lightly, straightening up to accuse Dash.

"You did it! You put Lucy and her foal in the back paddock, didn't you!? What were you thinking!? Your Dad said—"

"I _know_ what my Dad said, Fenturd!" He shoved the thin boy hard. Cujo growled from Danny's heels and showed his teeth. Dash recoiled, shooting them both dark looks. Danny rubbed his shoulder but grabbed Cujo's collar before the pup went for Dash's leg.

"He said there were some slats loose there last night—" Danny tried again.

"And you were supposed to go fix them! So whose fault is it really, huh?" Dash tried, but Danny would have none of it.

"I was told to do it tomorrow! Everyone was told to only put full grown horses in the back pasture and only if desperate!" Danny couldn't help but yell, throwing his arms in frustration.

"You didn't check the roster did you?" Danny accused, frowning. "Now Lucy's foal is lost in the woods, and we don't even know how long it's been since he escaped."

"It's just a dumb foal…" But Dash's words were quiet, mostly because he knew his Dad did not share the same opinion. Lucy was a patient, wonderful horse, and she'd always given them strong, steady trail horses several times before. As Dash worried over the trouble he'd get in, Danny worried over the pacing, baying Lucy as she trotted back and forth, neighing loudly at the woods. Poor Lucy, losing her first foal in a few years. A bitter thought crossed his mind—had his mother ever cried for him like this? Was she still? Danny's heart went out for the poor mare, and her baby.

Danny shivered and refocused in the present. Those black nests of trees that made up the forest looked particularly spooky and foreboding today. Foals usually came tripping over their own heels when their mothers called. If the little foal wasn't answering with either a noise or action, did that mean it couldn't at all? Or was it already too late?

No. He had to try.

"_I'll_ go and find it, since you're so scared." Danny said, dropping the lead rope where he stood for Dash to pick up.

"You—"

"Cujo, stay here with Dash." The dog whined but sat obediently, ears perked as he watched his master walk away.

Angry at the injustice of it all, and especially at Dash's cowardice, Danny stormed for the back pasture.

* * *

><p>Vlad was going to <em>kill<em> him.

If whatever it was in the forest that liked hunting kids didn't get to him first.

At that thought, Danny swallowed and ducked under a knobbly black tree, shuddering in the cool air. Every time he entered the forest it was like autumn was lying in wait here, and with all the Hollow's Eve stories that came with it. But if he didn't find Lucy's foal…

Danny pushed out negative thoughts of the poor thing, its long delicate legs stuck in a bed of roots or wolves praying on it. Were there wolves in these woods? And what of…of that strange dream he'd had last night? What if it was a premonition? Besides, he only had half an idea of where he was in the woods. It was too late to turn back now. With any luck, Dash had told his parents what happened, and they would come looking for him. A small, stupid hope, but he clung to it nonetheless. He didn't have much of a choice.

Startled, Danny pushed on, waving the flash light, trying not to breathe too hard and get lightheaded. The sun was a few dying purple beams to his right, and would soon cast him in darkness. As if the forest wasn't already trying its level best to do that. Danny stumbled a few times when he stepped on some sickly yellow marsh, and the sucking noise made his skin crawl and he jumped. Unfortunately. He jumped right onto a root that was sticking out from under the ground. His boot hooked over it, and Danny toppled, arms pin-wheeling.

He landed on uneven ground, which sent him tumbling, the world swinging in circles. The flashlight went rolling somewhere, branches and rocks scraped and tugged at his clothes like greedy little gobbling fingers trying to pull him one way or the other. This only served to scare and disorient him more, and with a resounding splash and cry, Danny landed into freezing water and sank.

It occurred to Danny dimly, that he had never thought to ask Vlad if he knew how to swim. The topic had just never come up, and now Danny wished desperately it had. If he had to guess, he would aim for 'no' because for some reason he was having a hard time getting to the surface. An underwater current sucked him along through the widening river, sending him rolling. A stream of bubbles rose from his mouth as he became too tired to fight back. He hardly noticed when a single black hand grabbed hold of his jacket and hauled him up all by itself.

The owner of the arm was connected to a strong shoulder that supported him when Danny's weak body was all but yanked against a chest. They erupted from the coursing water, though only one gasped for air. He'd thrown his arms round the neck of his savoir, clinging like a drowned rat and focusing on not passing out, throwing up, or doing all that at once. Silver fabric, smooth and cool to the touch. His lightheadedness began to pass, and he could think again. Danny coughed feebly, water spilling from his lips as he sucked in air. A few more coughing fits and he dared to open his eyes, searching for a face to put to whomever it was that had pulled him from the river.

It was the red eyed ghost from before. From his dream—but this was no dream now.

It certainly felt like one, what with them hovering almost twenty feet in the air, the ghost's red cape flapping in the wind. The setting sun cast the blue face and stuck shadows under the ghost's black rimmed eyes. His own personal glow surrounded some of Danny too, and he didn't seem personally swallowed down by holding the weight of another human figure. But no, the arms and chest holding Danny were very much real, as real as the boy gaping at him was. Danny didn't know whether to be thankful, shocked or frightened, so he settled for a jumbled mixture of both. The result left him rather comatose a moment, even as the ghost flew them slowly, heading for the front of the woods, toward the Baxter Stables.

Danny gasped softly, feeling breathless as he was held in the arms of the tall man. Or, spirit. He felt something stir in him, he wasn't sure what it was entirely. But it was hot and molten, so contrasted to his normally cool body. Perhaps it was because he'd nearly fallen to his death, and was suffering from shock? Danny didn't quite understand the effect it had on him, even if it was vaguely familiar. Nothing Danny had felt in his four months of living came close to his. Only one relationship did but for once all thoughts of his caretaker were far from his mind. The ghost's eyes were so captivating.

"You…y-you were the one I saw in my dreams—I mean the woods! It, it wasn't a…dream then?" Danny broached hopefully, even as he was set down on the dirt path gently. The ghost stared down at him, it had a good foot and a half and several pounds on him.

"….I suppose not."

The flat tone and stare wasn't really making Danny feel any better toward his rescuer. The posture and voice was cool and relaxed, with an air of certainty around it that Danny decided he envied. Along with the strange foreign feeling there was hesitancy and shyness now.

"Well, uhm, anyway, thank you. For saving my life." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. The action was more endearing than he knew, but how was he to know the ghost's dark blue cheeks was in fact, the sign his face was heating up?

"I…" Danny turned, grasping for words. He spotted the farm house's lights off in the distance behind him, and he was reminded of his task all over again.

"Oh—oh no, I never found Luce's foal! Oh man, Vlad's gonna…and _Mr. Baxter_ is gonna…oh I'm toast."

Danny tugged at his hair in frustration and worry, but startled when the ghost suddenly pushed off the ground and flew away.

"Huh, hey! Where are you going!?" But Danny's call went unheeded.

He bit his lip, and wondered if he'd done something that upset the spectral being.

Danny stood there a moment, in the damp soggy night. The clouds had moved on their way, and in their wake left a cold front that, thankfully, lowered the temperature. But Danny's clothes, sopping wet from his trip into the river, were doing nothing good for him at all. He sneezed a few times, but gave the forest trail a few looks. He didn't want to give up so easy. Vlad wouldn't. And anyway, he knew if he came back without that foal everyone would be mad or annoyed with him. Rubbing his arms in a feeble attempt to generate some heat that he suddenly needed, Danny sniffled pathetically and stared at the night sky. A few stars twinkled here and there. Suddenly more shone into the scene. And some vanished. What? No—the stars weren't randomly appearing and vanishing. Something was moving in front of them, blotting them out as it flew. He spotted that thin white glow again, getting bigger.

Danny gasped as the ghost returned, something else in its arms. The little foal, covered in mud and looking visibly shaken, but was alive and wiggling to prove it. Seeing only a familiar face in the blue eyed boy, it whinnied weakly and stumbled over to him as soon as the ghost set him down.

"I don't…I don't understand." Danny managed breathlessly as he took hold of the little foal's halter. He stared up at the ghost, blinking in askance and confusion as it suddenly took a knee before him, bowing that great horned head.

"I am yours to command." Was the only thing the specter murmured by way of explanation. This cryptic statement did little to soothe the boy's worry, and probably only made things worse. He withdrew his hand from over where his heart would be, and vanished into thin air with a soft, almost inaudible noise.

Danny stood there several moments, stunned into silence. The statement had thrown him for such a loop he could only stand in the black night and wonder _why_. He jerked back to life when his arm was tugged—Lucy's foal was trying to reach the familiar looking pasture, ears wiggling as he whinnied for his mother. She would have already been brought in by now, so Danny wasn't surprised when there was no answer.

"Let's….go home." Danny murmured, drawing his coat a little closer round him. For all the good it did. He was soaked to the bone, and he felt the first dregs of a headache starting up.

* * *

><p>Night had fallen entirely by the time Danny walked all the way from the back pasture to the stables. The cool blanket of darkness got past his wet clothes and made him shiver and shake as he guided the foal along. Getting the foal back into his warm clean stall and into his mother's sight was thankfully easy. Getting into the farmhouse and explaining, a little dazedly, what exactly it was that happened out there to everyone all at once was what sucked.<p>

Even Vlad looked a little worried and concerned over the whole affair. Vlad being concerned didn't surprise Danny, the fact he showed it on his features did, eyebrows arched and gaze roaming his soaked clothes and quivering fingers. Pain throbbed in the back of Danny's skull, and his nose felt stuffy.

"_You_ found the foal? All by yourself in this dark, boy?" Mr. Baxter barked.

"Yes, I mean no, er," Danny settled on, "Kind of." And sneezed.

"Well what do you mean? Spit it out!"

"Why are you all wet, Fenton?"

"I-I..."

"I think, what Daniel is trying to say, is that we should simply be grateful the foal is back at all. Let alone unharmed. Judging by the state of his clothes, I think it's time for him to take a bath and get some rest."

"…"

"Come along, Little Badger."

There was mostly quiet after that. Vlad's low cutting voice had that effect on you. He didn't usually say much, but he managed to make the most open sounded statements cool and pitiless. And judging. When even Mr. Baxter averted his eyes from Vlad's dark gaze, Danny was taken by the arm and gently but firmly marched upstairs.

"Vlad, out in the woods, I saw something." Danny started to try to explain once they'd gotten up the steps and out of ear shot.

"Trees and bushes, I'm sure."

"No! Well, yeah. But not just that. There was, this, uhm…ghost, I think. I think he was a ghost. He looked sort of like a vampire too, but he didn't suck out my blood so…"

"Well, then there's another thing to be greatful." Vlad commented dryly as they walked into the bathroom. Danny sat on the closed toilet and rubbed his arms, watching the man bustle around.

"He brought Lucy's foal to me. He did!" Danny repeated when he was given a look. "And then he said something…really weird. Sort of creepy."

"Was it 'boo?'" Vlad grinned like a fox as he turned on the hot water to fill the tub.

Danny let his wet shirt hit Vlad with a dull smack, glowering at the man.

"I'm serious!" His anger dissipated into uneasiness, and he glanced warily at the high, frosted windows of the bathrooms, as if he expected the ghost to come through the walls to scare him some more.

"…it scared you that much, did it?" Vlad's voice was its usual volume, but his expression was unreadable.

"You always said there were no such things as ghosts here. I didn't even think they really existed _anyway_, but tonight…" Danny shuddered wished the bath would be ready faster. He didn't say that out loud though.

"He said 'I was his to command.' But that, that can't be right. He must have gotten me confused with someone else, don't you think? I'm no one."

"That is untrue, Little Badger. You are you." Vlad commented as he pulled back from the nearly filled tub. He poured some liquid under the tap, and though Danny wrinkled his nose, he knew it'd do no good to complain of the frothy pink soap. It'd get him clean, which was all Vlad cared about. Even if Dash did make fun of Danny for the airy vanilla scent it left on his skin and hair.

"You, you know what I mean." Danny muttered, wincing as he pulled off his boots and socks next. He felt awful for the water he'd tracked into Mrs. Baxter clean house, but it hadn't been much. Now he was just soggy and felt like he was slowly freezing over. Icicles might drip from his nose next.

"The bath is ready, Daniel." Vlad stood up to take his leave. In the time it took for him to get from the bath to the door frame, Danny had already shimmied out of the rest of his few remaining clothes and was just lowering his torso into the water when Vlad turned. Danny sank more out of view on instinct, face heating up, and not from the temperature of the water. (Though it did feel wonderful.)

Vlad regarded him a moment, lips in a small smile.

"Nothing will hurt you. Nothing will get you, so long as I am here." Vlad recited the oft-said words quietly, voice low and gentle.

For once, Danny broke the script. Instead of teasing or simply saying thank you, Danny whispered to the man's back.

"What about when you're not?"

Vlad turned on his heel, standing in the doorway. He was nearly the same height as the ghost, albeit leaner. He gazed evenly back at Danny and without missing a beat said,

"That will never happen." Vlad's words were heavy and dark with promise. "Ever. You have my word, Daniel."

After that, Vlad shut the door and Danny knew, by the lack of noise, Vlad hadn't walked away. He was standing outside the door, like a guard. Danny sighed softly, and sank past the rim of the tub, seeking solace in the hot, bubbly water. The warmth did wonders for his body and soon began to reach his mental state too. He felt himself relax, slowly. Sinking deeper in the water with a groan of appreciation, Danny decided to try putting this whole ghost business out of his mind. His brain offered no relief, because he had visions and dreamed foggy, fading dreams of red eyed monster, black hands soaked in someone else blood and demonic eyes boring into his soul.

Most of all, he dreamed about someone telling him they were sorry.

* * *

><p>He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing Danny knew there was a rapping on the bathroom door, and his eyes were hard to keep open. The water had cooled. Correction, it was <em>freezing<em>. The river had been warmer than this, hell, it had been a hot tub compared to the chill he felt now. Ice water lapped at his naked body and sank icicle claws into his spine, making him shake and tremble harder now that he was conscious of how damn cold it was. It felt like it was coming from his very bones, and the wiry, rabbit muscled frame of the boy had suffered greatly from the sudden switch in temperatures. He shuddered, sitting up hurriedly, blue eyes flying open as he registered what was going on.

And someone was still knocking. He had a pretty good idea of who it was.

"Vl-a-a-aa…" He winced, the words hurt his throat and his chattering teeth chopped up his syllables.

"Daniel!" Vlad threw open the door, taking in the sight of the blue lipped, coughing frame of his charge. Without thinking, he reached a shaky hand out for the man taking up the doorway.

Danny didn't have time to be embarrassed. One minute Vlad was apologizing and somehow scolding him all at once, and Danny was being swept up into a thick towel and warm clothes pressed to him. He took it with shaking arms, wrapping himself up even as his body spasmed weakly, and his spine trying desperately to create warmth.

"Hurry and change. You've gotten sick, Little Badger."

"S-s-ssorr-r-y," Danny muttered weakly, hating how his fingertips were so cold they were rather numb.

"Shh. Don't apologize for that, it's not your fault Little Badger." Danny wondered what Vlad meant, was there something else that was his fault, but somehow this wasn't? It didn't make any sense. Nothing did, even the room was spinning. He'd just managed to get dressed before his body gave out and he felt himself sag. Vlad was there, hefting him up into a cradle carry. Danny closed his eyes and tried in vain to get his jaws from clacking his teeth together so much. He was dimly aware he was being carried by the warm body holding him, and could make out Vlad's deep voice, warm and soothing in his ear. Danny could do little more than shake and curl up against Vlad's chest in hopes the other's body heat would fend off the chill.

"T-the water….got so c-c-c-cold…" Danny tried to explain, hoping Vlad could have some explanation.

"I know little badger, it's alright now. Just focus on breathing, and try and relax."

He took Vlad's words to heart, and nodded. Teeth clacking, Danny found solace against the taller man's warmer body and relished in it. He never knew how Vlad managed to be so warm all the damn time, but he had never been so grateful for the body heat. He felt his hands being picked up, and Vlad's larger ones chafing one hand at a time between calloused palms he knew almost better than his own hands. It had always been like this, and Danny sometimes didn't know why. What had he done for Vlad to make the older man so devoted and attentive? Danny didn't know, but he prayed he never took it for granted. He trusted Vlad with his life, and Vlad was all he had.

Cold and weak, Danny's eyes slipped closed and he fell into a light doze. Because of this, he did not see the way his breath came out in soft blue puffs of frost.

* * *

><p>Vlad had found himself at a crossroads, and he didn't like it.<p>

Unfortunately, Clockwork had been right. The seal between Daniel and his powers was weakening by the day. After tonight's little stint, Vlad would guess by the hour now. Vlad brushed his hand through the black mop under his chin and wished that Danny would at least get his memories back when his powers came. But the odds of them coming together, let alone his memories coming at all, was too slim to hope for. More than likely, Danny would recover his lost powers, they would get out of control, and Vlad would be left with more problems than he'd know what to do with.

Between the Dark One, Skulker out in the woods hunting the boy, and his prince's downhill condition, Vlad had enough on his plate without factoring the boy's unstable powers coming into the mix. Of course it wouldn't be half as bad if it wasn't just the ghost powers. But the ice was probably weakening the seal faster. It would only be a matter of time before the boy sneezed and turned intangible or something. Which meant Vlad could hold off his plans no longer.

Because of the seal for Daniel was going to break, that meant the Portal would tear open right behind them.

And with that, would come more disaster and fighting the likes of which Vlad hadn't seen since the war that took Danny's family from him. If he wasn't careful and didn't get Danny out of here in time, they would certainly lose and the bloodline to the throne would be lost. Not that Vlad particularly cared one way or other, but the Ghost Zone had inhabitants that had loved, if at least not liked, the rule of the Phantom family. The King and Queen were friendly, and Queen Madeline had a good head on her shoulders, even if they did have a bit too much of an interest in humanity. And the Phantom children were mostly the usual princess and prince you'd expect to find. Jasmine had been pretty but smart, outclassing all in her studies. Danny had been a bit…different. Curious and not always in the good way, the boy was the first to fly out somewhere and explore, whether his family knew it or not. His attitude got worse as he got older, but his excursions led him to meet the Time Ghost, the leader of the Far Frozen and many others. All of which rather enjoyed the boy's adventurous personality, even if he wasn't as formal as he should be for a prince. Danny had made friends, and in the end that was what saved him, Vlad supposed with a dark look out the window. If not for the combined efforts of some of the Ghost Zone's loyal denizens, the revolution would have gone the way Pariah Dark wanted it, and Danny would have been killed along with the rest of them.

What would his Prince say to him, if he knew his Knight had chosen to save only him, instead of his family as well? Vlad wondered, but sometimes followed it up with a thought that some questions are better left unanswered. It wouldn't matter anyway. No amount of the boy's anger or tears would bring his family back. Vlad sympathized, but at the same time he wished the boy would understand Vlad was only interested in the wellbeing of one person, and that person was Danny.

Vlad had not known Danny until he was a young ghost, just reaching his 13th year. And they had met, more or less, in a deep haunted forest that was parallel to the one behind the stables. The young boy had found him, bloodied and beaten and clinging to his afterlife, and Danny, who'd always been the most softhearted, had begged and pleaded to bring Vlad, or Plasmius, to the castle infirmary and treated.

Oh, Vlad had put on a grand show, too. The boy had played right into his hands and Plasmius remembers laying in a soft cot trying to remain motionless and not sneer too much in pride. His plan to usurp the throne and have the Queen Madeline for himself was working to a T. And it would continue for all of two weeks. He'd planned and waited so long, he was ready to get the power he wanted. Plasmius would have the upper hand like a queen swept the chess board, tipping all others in her wake as she made her way to the opposing King.

And then…something had happened.

Somewhere along the way, Plasmius had gotten…ensnared himself.

There was something about Daniel.

Perhaps it was because the boy visited every day. Perhaps because he'd asked the older man questions about his life, his family, and _always_ asked how he was feeling. He'd been young, and was clearly ignorant of the rules of etiquette a prince should take with his subjects or commoners. Vlad especially, having no place in the central Kingdom, shouldn't have received such attention from the little Prince. But he had. The green eyed boy was curious about him and pestered and questioned everything. Vlad had at first felt it grate on his nerves. But the stories he'd told, (not all of them truthful) had left his audience wide eyed and looking so properly enthralled Plasmius continued telling stories. If only for the enraptured child, and his own wretched pride. Danny had been nothing more than a child, and a child with ghost powers that were still developing at that. Plasmius had been badgered so much by the young prince Danny had soon earned the (rather affectionate) title of little badger within a week of Vlad's dramatic entrance. And when Plasmius was well enough to leave the infirmary, Danny had smiled wide and grabbed his hand, leading him to a room and saying it was for him until he wanted to leave. Plasmius had asked around, discovering his room was because Danny had gone to his parents and asked for him to stay.

And, well, Danny _was_ a prince. The boy didn't seem to ask for much, but the one thing he did, he was allowed it. The young Prince wanted _his_ company, he was given a room just down the hall in the castle itself, it really couldn't have been easier. The boy followed him about like a puppy. By all accounts, Vlad could have said his checkmate within the following week. But he didn't. He hadn't. He…couldn't.

And it wasn't because the little badger was getting in the way. If anything, it was because he'd gotten too fond of Daniel. Never get too close to your target. A fine warning, but since Danny wasn't the target, Plasmius didn't notice until it was much too late. He had his suspicions when he began to follow after the boy himself, willingly. He'd never cared a slip for anyone other than himself, and he little clue as to what made the young prince so much different. Daniel could be smart as a whip, but sometimes the boy didn't have enough common sense to get out of the ecto-rain. And Vlad was a bit appalled at the lack of security Daniel should have had at his disposal. He would come and go out of the castle as he pleased, getting into all manner of trouble and poking his nose into dark places nothing as kind as him should _ever_ go.

Plasmius suddenly had a new plan. Keep that damn boy alive long enough to see his next year, for heaven's _sake_ Daniel. It was a wonder his ghost form's hair hadn't gone white with all the messes the boy got into. As more and more of them were solved by Plasmius' intimidating and powerful presence, the oafish King Jack had a rather clever idea for once. The Queen had apparently thought it best too, because she agreed.

That was how Plasmius became _Sir_ Plasmius, swearing his life in favor of Prince Daniel's. Danny had seen it as a way to have a friend in the castle finally, Jack and Madeline had seen it as a way to know their baby boy had someone to protect him, and Plasmius was simply stunned for a good week and a half. It didn't really register until a band of thieves attempted to steal some treasure and Daniel had stubbornly gotten in the way, causing Plasmius to unleash holy hell when the thieving rats tried hurting the boy.

Becoming a Knight to the royal family hadn't really been in the cards. Vlad had been so focused on the hands of two players he'd failed to notice Daniel, a royal flush that pulled Vlad down and caused him to actually consider, care, for his young charge. So Vlad, in his own mind, had changed the rules a bit to still fit him.

Very well. He _would_ be a Knight. The best Knight there was, because Plasmius did nothing by halves. But on his own conditions. He would protect Daniel until his unbeating heart was ripped from his chest—and perhaps past that. But he would, on no certain terms, pay much attention to the other royal family. They had their own guards and such. Let them do what they please. The boy was his now. They hadn't paid such attention to him as Daniel had. The boy deserved him.

_You are safe now. Nothing will hurt you. Nothing can get you so long as I'm here._

And just before Daniel's 20th birthday, his world had come unraveling on him and Vlad's hand had been forced. The desperate attempt to save the boy's life once his family's lives were lost had worked, but sometimes Vlad wondered if they'd simply delayed the inevitable.

It had been particularly challenging during the first weeks following Daniel's recovery. Tearing the boy from his ghost powers had caused him so much physical damage, for a while Vlad wasn't convinced they wouldn't lose the boy to a natural death. By sheer luck they'd found the Baxter Stables and set up a job in order to slowly rebuild the boy's beaten, broken body. Vlad didn't know how Skulker had found them, but he couldn't worry about it now. Just focus on staying on step ahead of the hunter and even more steps ahead of Pariah Dark.

In the present, Vlad looked down to see the black haired boy had fallen asleep. Thankfully his skin was warmer, his fingers and lips no longer tinted blue. Perhaps Clockwork had managed to put another wall up in the Ghost Zone to keep Daniel's powers bottled up. Whatever the reason, Vlad was so relieved he felt lightheaded from his sigh.

"Oh, Daniel. I'm so sorry." Vlad murmured, keeping his voice very quiet.

He could allow the boy some rest for now. It was only twelve or so in the morning.

But soon, they'd have to start moving. This place was no longer safe.

Placing the sleeping boy gently in his bed, Vlad covered him with extra blankets. Smiling, he made sure Danny was comfortable, and the knight quickly and quietly moved about the dark farmhouse.

* * *

><p>The second time Danny awoke within 24 hours, and he hardly felt like he'd slept at all. maybe that was because he hadn't, but he still didn't have an alarm clock, and had no way of knowing the time. Vlad had been shaking him gently. Danny blinked up at him in surprise and then at the night sky outside his window. He turned back to Vlad in sheer confusion.<p>

"Forgive me, little badger. But we must be going."

"Wha…what?" Danny muttered groggily, rubbing an eye with his fist.

"It is no longer safe here. I'll explain on the way. But please, trust me."

Still sleepy and unsure, Danny was on autopilot for several minutes. If it hadn't been for Vlad he might have stopped and considered the surreal situation. But he was too tried. And a little cold again. After he'd been dressed, given a sack to carry, and shooed out the door, did the boy seem to come back to himself. The sleepiness left him, to be filled with confusion, curiosity...and a bit of dread. Vlad's black boots clicked on the cobblestones as they walked toward the stables. Danny followed the noise.

The moon was high among the stars as they moved out into the soggy night. A cool wind ruffled his hair and he rubbed both his arms subconsciously. He wasn't surprised to see Cujo loping toward him excitedly. Danny bent down, shushing the dog for a moment. Vlad was already stalking off, apparently unheeded by the lack of light. Though the moon did provide some soft light, it was white and milky, and it was casting shadows that caused Danny to hurry after Vlad.

"W-where are we going? Why can't we stay here?" Danny whispered for some reason. It felt like eyes were watching them.

"That thing you saw in the woods—the green eyed one—is indeed after you."

"What? Why!? What did I do? I-I don't even know him!"

"I know, little badger, shh. I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner. There's more to you than you think, and I was fearful of telling you before you'd recovered."

"They, they said I was recovered almost last month. Vlad—why didn't you tell me sooner? What's…what's going on?"

"Your past. It's coming back to haunt…both of us."

"My past? You never said a word about my past. You said—"

"I know what I said!" The barking voice made Danny stop in his tracks. Vlad turned, softening instantly. Was Danny seeing things, or had the man's eyes flashed crimson?

"…but I am saying something different now little badger. I have not been entirely forthcoming with you because I was hoping to protect you a little longer." Vlad was taking long strides, hand on the boy's arm as the guided him.

"Protect me from what? That green thing in the forest? If that thing's so dangerous…why are we walking right into it?" Danny blanched, but Vlad hushed him and encouraged him on.

"Ordinarily, it would be foolish to hide from a tiger in its own jungle. But what's out for you does not belong here. It is not of this world."

"It's…it's a ghost, right?" His voice seemed to be swallowed up by the gloomy, dark forest. How Vlad could even see in this gloomy woods was beyond Danny.

"One thing you haven't lost, your instinct." Danny could hear the smile in Vlad's words. Danny didn't know quite what he meant, but he supposed it was a good thing.

Vlad might have gone on, and explained the situation better. It is a little hard to be heard though, when the ground is shuddering and there is a catalytic _crash_ behind you. The air was illuminated briefly until the light died down, and both of them spun. Danny stared in horror through the still thin trees, breath caught in his throat. The Baxter farmhouse was ablaze with leaping flames, another small explosion sending the brick chimney scattering to the ground. Smoke trundled into the night sky, blotting out the stars. Embers had flown on the wind and were landing on the stables. Cujo howled at the noise by Danny's feet, but the boy didn't hear him.

"Mr. and Mrs. Baxter! Dash!" Danny cried out, instinctively moving to run back.

A hand caught his arm, holding him in place. Danny threw a horrified, confused look at the silver haired man. Vlad's face was surprisingly calm and void of any other emotion, even as Danny's blue eyes searched his.

"Vlad?! Vlad—let me go!" Danny cried desperately. "The horses, the house! We have to help them!"

"Forget them." Vlad spoke easily. Too easily. "They are not our concern, Daniel. We must escape while we can."

Danny stared at him, too shocked to be disgusted. The screams of the horses were reaching their ears now. Thinking of Lucy, her foal, and the other horses trapped in the barn, Danny wrenched his arm free and dropped his bag, taking off before Vlad could stop him.

"Daniel! Get back here!" The boy ignored the order.

"Not til I know they're safe, not til I save them!" He shouted, running as fast as he could for the fiery mess.

It didn't matter if Vlad helped him or not. He had to try.


	3. The Portal Opens

**I wrote most of this over the winter break I had, which is coming to a close. I know this story doesn't update as often, but I try my hardest on each chapter and appreciate any feedback I get. **

* * *

><p>"<em>And the walls kept tumbling down,<br>In the city that we love.  
>Great clouds roll over the hills.<br>Bringing darkness from above."_

* * *

><p>The fire had originated from the house. Namely, from the kitchen, right beside the stove to make it appear to be accidental. Skulker hadn't lost his touch. Sometimes you had to smoke the nest to drive the prey out into the open, where they made themselves a much easier target.<p>

That being said, the Ghost Zone's great hunter _was_ mildly disappointed when he discovered no trace of the child Prince. He thought this was strange, since he was positive this room was in fact the child's, yet there was no sign of him. After months of careful planning, only to have his second attempt start to go awry, and this didn't bode well for him. Skulker was vaguely aware of the flesh bags in the house, but paid them no mind. They were not his target, and better still they were hardly a problem. He continued his search throughout the burning house with little haste but a growing sense of disappointment. He'd have to hunt down the boy all over again now, and Pariah would hardly be pleased when Skulker told him. Not that Pariah was often happy, but Skulker hated to be the bearer of bad news, especially since the New King—_The_ King, Skulker corrected himself mentally—was not one to forgive past transgressions. More simply put, Skulker knew he could not afford another set of empty hands to show to the High King after his previous failures. Even in his mind, the title sounded as false as the lies Pariah were feeding his subjects. Two years of undaunted reign, and Skulker was glad to be out in the human world instead of the wreckage the Ghost Zone was becoming.

Out here, he had a task. A job. A hunt, glorious as was, which wasn't saying much.

"If it weren't for that idiotic Time nut and that _Knight_ I wouldn't be in this mess." He grumbled to himself, kicking over a trash can as the disastrous flames roared up higher, consuming the old farm house as if they were moth wings.

"Heh. Humans do build such meager holds. " Skulker raised his arm to tap at a panel, intending to re-enter coordinates and wipe the now useless information from his system.

"Mrs. Baxter?! D-Dash—" The sound of a boy's voice and coughing made the trapper pause. "Mr. Baxter! Hello!"

"Well well." Skulker let a smile spread over his face as he turned to watch a skinny young man stagger up the steps. He appeared through the trundling smoke and lazy licking tongues of fire, and the wood stairs creaked ominously beneath his sneakers. His arm was raised over his face in some paltry form of protection, and it was amusing to Skulker. Didn't the boy know he was impervious to fire? This battle ground was only set in flames to assure few others could interfere.

The black haired boy lowered his arm, powder blue eyes widening and watering. He coughed once more and shook his head, staring like a deer in the headlights up into the towering ghost hunter.

"Y-_you_…you're the one I saw in the forest!" His surprise slid smoothly into righteous indignation, his brow furrowing. "Where are the Baxters?! Tell me!"

Instead, Skulker merely leveled his other fist at him, intending to throw a net, but the boy seemed to know what was going on and threw himself out of the way just in time.

Skulker scowled and moved after him, but while the fire was harmless to his ethereal form, the smoke was a bit of a predicament, since now it was too thick to see through. He passed through some walls, searching intently.

This time. This time, the Prince would not get away.

* * *

><p>His lungs burned. His eyes stung. His mouth felt like sandpaper. And his chest felt as if it were being crushed in from an outside force. This and more problems pained Danny with every step further into the fiery farmhouse. His walk turned to rocky stumbling, but on he pushed, his desperation and fear for the Baxter's overcoming his own physical wellbeing.<p>

A fire. That's what Vlad had said had caused Danny's accident. An all consuming broiling fire that had decimated his home, his parents and his life and left him with wounds that somehow ('_Thank whoever up there will listen, little badger,")_ managed to heal.

Still, the mental wounds hadn't scared over yet, it seemed. Danny flinched and scrambled clumsily through the living room into the back study, feeling terror try to grip his heart and senses. It was at this moment he spotted the slumped form of Dash, who was on his knees coughing and not quite unconscious yet.

"D-Dash!" The thought of helping the other boy was what kept Danny sane, kept him from going back to that other terrible night of white lightning arcing and burning pain into his spine, into his brain—like a precious part of himself was being torn from his very—

"Dash…_c'mon_, let's go," Danny took little time getting the boy upright and half over his shoulder. He doesn't know where his sudden strength of, but he knows what adrenaline is and chalks it up to that. Danny doesn't know, can't know, that as he pulls and tugs the form of the youngest Baxter his eyes have gone from scared blue to toxic green, glowing from under his black as night bangs.

He thinks about getting Dash and anyone else he can to safety, and his eyes flash in deadly determination as he hauls the boy much larger than his own thin frame. He thinks about the fire, about the ghost but Danny doesn't think about how Vlad was about to up and leave the family that had taken them in to burn.

He refuses think about that. For now. But there would be Hell to pay.

Three feet from the front door, which had yet to fall to the flames, and something metallic and heavy came down through the floorboards, along with an otherworldly laughter that chilled Danny to his very core and made even the stunned Dash yelp and wobble.

"_Going somewhere_, ghost child!?"

"W-who!?" But Danny isn't given a chance to find out who the ghost has him confused with, because the next thing he knows something very big and green and _furry_ has launched from porch into the ghost's back. The giant metal ghost goes down under paws and the beast's colossal chest clips the threshold it takes a chunk from the wood finish. The two go rolling, and Danny decides he'll worry later about two ghosts, because now the door's open and _he can get Dash out._

It only takes a second to lower Dash against a fence post far from the fire and smoke, but Danny hesitates as he stares up at the farmhouse. Flames flutter into the black sky and make the stares fade with blotted gray smoke. The fresh air out here is wonderful and his chest aches in protest as he goes to turn back up the porch steps. He's scared, but his fear for his own safety is overridden by the heavy guilt that something here is going on behind his back, and his blindness could cost innocent people their very lives. He knows where his answers will lie, if there any, but that isn't the time for this. There is still no sign of Dash's parents.

Danny also doesn't know where the ghost or the giant hound has gone, but he doesn't care. He's sure the Baxters are in their room, up stairs which the green haired ghost had blocked off before. The gasping boy scrambles up the stairs, twisting round on the balls of his feet when he hears a crashing noise behind him, and sees the bottom three steps are now gone into the basement, the drop sure to break your leg at the very least. He's now trapped on the second floor, with the fire, the Baxters and two ghosts. Great job, Fenton.

Danny moans and pushes on, down the far end of the hall, waving through harmless if thick smoke.

He grabs the brass knob and turns it, throwing open the door. Cold air rushes him, but that isn't what makes him gasp. What does it is the thick sound of a cape fluttering, the familiar white and red fabric swishing as the blue demon like ghost turns on its heeled boot, holding the large, prone form of Mr. Baxter over his shoulder as if he's no more than a bag of flour.

"Y-you're here!" Danny can't keep the marveled elation from his voice as he sees that Mrs. Baxter is gone and the large window has been opened and its screen pushed out. He runs into the room, pulling the door shut toward himself, hoping to keep the flames off a little longer and hurries to the imposing ghost's side.

"C-can you get him out? I'll wait here, the stairs have gone in." Danny explains in a hopeful rush, hopeful blue eyes looking into the piercing red ones.

The ghost nods, but Danny warns "Be careful! Please…" he finishes, feeling foolish since the ghost is already dead. He sees a faint smile play on the purple lips as the tall entity turns and pushes off, flying through the window and heading down out of sight.

Danny smiled in relief, but it leaves when the second floor shudders and something comes blasting through the wall. The second floor shudders warningly, and Danny keeps his footing by grabbing hold of the sill as he turns to see what's going on this time. Beams and debris and the door land atop the green haired ghost, who's looking a little worse for wear than Danny remembers from their previous encounter.

He turns, mouth forming an 'o' as he backs up toward the nearest corner, waiting to see if the green furry beast will follow it, but there's no sign of it. Danny looks back at the window, then at the ghost on the floor, body sparking and teeth clenched. In pain or anger, Danny can only guess. But it looks like pain. A lot of pain. It's struggling to get out, and its clearly too stuck to free itself. Couldn't it go intangible?

…Intagiwhat? How did he know that word?

The fire licks into the room, breaking Danny's concentration.

He swallows, and feels something prickling in the back of his head. It's faded and fuzzy but for some reason Danny no longer sees someone he fears or even dislikes. For a lightning quick moment, Danny can't breathe because _he doesn't have too_, and he sees himself as something more of an acquaintance to the ghost trapped under the ceiling. Slowly, as if in a trance, Danny edges over, reaching out. He doesn't know why, and he really isn't aware of anything as he leans over, palms meeting wood and he begins pushing with all his might.

The ghost's eyes fly open but Danny has already made his move, taking hold of the heavy beam and moving so it rolls off the back of the ghost to reveal its damaged, broken arm. Sparks fritz lamely as Danny straightens up, his green eyes staring down unseeingly. Then the young man blinks, and they are blue again. He sways tiredly.

For a moment, the two only stare at each other, one with wide eyes and the other with a shocked but otherwise unreadable expression.

Then the metal ghost's gaze focuses on something behind Danny and he blanches, clearly frightened but whatever it is that's flying through the window. Danny turns; already knowing who it is as the regal ghost swoops through the window and grabs Danny easily, glaring. The ghost raises his free hand, palm wide open and facing down at the broken metallic ghost, fuchsia energy gathering around his fingers and surging inward, waiting to be released down and wreck sheer havoc. It was clearly a killing blow, if the panicked look from the ghost on the floor was anything to go by.

"Wait! Don't!" To everyone's surprise, even Danny it seems, he shouts the worried command at the red eyed specter. There's another frozen moment where everyone looks at Danny with different expressions, and Danny looks at his defender with wide, desperate blue eyes until the ghost growls. But…he lowers his hand and pushes off from the ground, sending them out of the burning house. Danny knows asking anymore would be too much, and since even he isn't very sure why he asked the ghost to spare the other's life, he is thankful for the other's mercy over that at least.

He could tell though, by the tight arms around him and the ghost's furious red eyes he's about to get the scolding of his life, second only to the time Vlad caught him riding bareback at night without a helmet on Lucy.

"What _were_ you thinking!?" Barks the echoing voice, just like the green ghost's. But this tone is different, more aristocratic, comforting. "Freeing him like that, you foolish boy—"

"W-we gotta save the horses." Danny mumbles as he's pulled from the house and up into the air. His stomach somersaults but it's a surprisingly enjoyable experience, to be in flight like this, open to the world. Even if that world is on fire below you. His arms tighten around the ghost's neck.

"That is taken care of." Comes a softer snap. "You should be grateful of that mutt of yours."

"Mutt?" Danny parrots lamely, blinking the sleepiness away. The cool air is helping.

"Cujo? Why—what did Cujo do?" Danny asks in confusion as he's lowered to the ground. Far from the front of the house, closer to the woods he notices. As if his new friend doesn't want them, or perhaps _himself_, to be seen.

Danny gets his answer when the sound of hoof beats thunders through the air. All the horses have been released into the far paddock and, while shaken and scared, are very much from harm's way. Already buzzing sounds and machines roaring tell Danny the firefighters of Crowhaven County have arrived to tackle what's left of the fire that consumed the small farmhouse and only some of the stables.

Danny perks up in relief at this sight, but when he takes a step toward the others something barrels into him and he goes right down into the damp grass, the wind knocked from him.

"Idiot dog!" The ghost gripes, reeling like an affronted cat as a towering green hound shoves its head, the size of a truck tire, into Danny's shocked open arms.

"W-what?! I—hey, wait, wait!" But the attacking tongue does not stop, slobbering all over Danny's face and chest and there's a familiar tinkling noise behind its head, on its neck. A dog tag glints. A familiar symbol, a P within a D, stamped like a royal seal.

"…._Cujo_?" The boy cried out in surprise, and was answered by several deep, but overall delighted barks that made his ears ring from their sheer volume.

"That is your dog, yes. The true form of your dog."

"True form…?" This is all a bit much to take in, and Danny has the distinct feeling there's more to of it that's going to beat the shock of a giant ghost hound.

But then he's distracted, because Cujo is licking him again, getting ecto-slobber all over him and Danny can't help but laugh, throwing his arms up in defense against his suddenly monstrous, yet still adorably friendly, dog.

"Y-you got big, buddy! Yes, I'm okay! I'm okay!"

Cujo gives a worried whine, and it sounds so out of place coming from this giant creature, but he finally sits back. Danny works to catch his breath, keeping a hand fisted into the dog's fur, rolling the dog's thick neck fat amicably as he pets his dog. Leaning back gives him a better view of the sheer size of Cujo, and he gasps, remembering something.

"That green blur—that was you!" Danny realizes, sitting up more and watching amazement as the hound barks and tosses his head in what seems to be a nod. "Y-you're the one who saved me in the woods! I mean, besides the…other one."

Danny turned his head for the other ghost, expecting him to be at his side still. But his eyes rake over black forest and blue grass, and his search yields no results as to where his mysterious protector has gone off to this time.

"Ah, hey! Oh, he's gone again. I still haven't gotten his name…" Danny murmured sadly to Cujo as he got to his feet.

It hit him then, how tired he really was. The ache hit him bone deep and he stumbled woozily, caught by Cujo's thick neck as the dog jerked under him. The dog rumbled worriedly, but Danny merely patted his head, grateful for the support as he looked around for a different person this time.

"C'mon buddy. Let's go find Vlad. Don't scare him too much, okay?"

* * *

><p>Skulker stood on the hill, hidden behind a copse of trees on the outskirts of the forest. He watched the humans begin to fight the fire, eyes roaming the black night. Skulker paid little attention to what was going on before him. His ruined arm hung uselessly at his side, gone up to the elbow. It would take some time to repair the metal armor, and time was not something he could afford right now. But his mind tumbled with its own problems, bringing back the memory of only a few moments ago, when those emerald eyes had bored into his own, when a whip no bigger than a sapling had used some deep-seated strength to free him from under the fallen house parts. They had blazed with power and ferocity, but were rimmed with lively edges of familiarity and concern—something he'd never expected to see again on the young prince's face. To top it off, those same eyes had flashed back at Plasmius before he'd delivered his counter-attack. One that the hunter knew was a killing blow, yet the knight had backed down under the green gaze, bending to that same sapling. He'd gotten out of there with his afterlife, but barely, and it was thanks to Danny both times. That wasn't good. Skulker prided himself on knowing every direction a hunt could potentially take. There were sometimes hundreds of factors you had to consider if you wanted to make sure you captured your quarry. And yet…<p>

He simply had not expected the boy to remember him.

For some reason, the boys missing memory of his world made it much easier to call the Prince 'prey' instead of 'friend.' It was nothing personal, the boy wasn't his enemy, but he _was_ a job. And he'd been assured over and over by his moles that Danny Phantom had no memory of the uprising and the accident. He was human, weak and harmless. There shouldn't have been anything easier to catch when you took the knight and his hound from him. By himself, Danny Phantom—now Danny Fenton—was no more than a mouse. And yet, the boy had ducked and rolled, had shown strength that was clearly not something his physical body knew, and had given Skulker a brief glimpse at another side to the boy that all of the Ghost Zone had been told was long gone. Besides, in the Ghost Zone it was either kill or be killed, and if all he had to do was bring the boy to Pariah, then he could live. As much as it bothered Skulker to betray what used to be a good hunting partner, he kept these thoughts deep down in his conscience and tried to focus on avoiding Pariah's wrath long enough to find the child. After months of searching he had _done it_ too, despite the Knight's best efforts and magical wards. It had all seemed so easy, distract Plasmius and the mutt, get the human child and destroy anyone else who stepped in his way. But what had just happened proved the child was _not_ human, even if he was a shadow of his former self, he was still Danny _Phantom_, somewhere in him. Skulker wasn't an idiot, if the boy yet retained his ghostly powers, then there was still had a chance of fighting Pariah and getting the throne back.

If the boy's powers and memories were returning, then this changed everything.

His next moves would need to be taken carefully, yet quickly so as not to waste anymore time. As the hunter turned to head into the forest, there was a flash of light between two trunks. And with a great shredding sound, claws ripped through the very fabric of space and the glowing portal widened. There was the sound of snuffling as a muzzle poked through, and claws dug a little father down until the tear almost touched the sparse grass. Out leaped a beast, fur blacker than the night and deadly claws sheathing back into its paws as it leaped out onto the grass. But it was not alone. Its heavy chains rattled and clinked as it stumbled hesitantly farther into the human world, prodded on by a floating guard from the Warden's own personal little army.

Skulker growled, narrowing his eyes as he watched Wulf and two more guards join him. No noise was uttered when the Warden himself stepped through, tipping his hat.

"Good boy, mutt." The Warden smiled condescendingly, and Wulf's ears sank as he turned to stare at the ground, tail between his legs. Skulker stepped up to him, his single hand out complacently.

"Warden! Erh, sir, I was just—"

"You were just failing your mission, Skulker. The King isn't happy. And he's ordered me to bring you in, and lock you up."

"For…for good?"

"For now." The Warden said simply, motioning with one hand. He gave a little snap and the guards edged toward Skulker, shields and glowing ecto-sticks raised in warning.

Skulker gritted his teeth, hair flickering gently in the wind as the ghost guards advanced.

He thought, quite quickly in that moment. Thought of what was happening, what would happen and what _might_ happen. Mostly, he thought of the young Prince risking his very human life to rescue him, even when Skulker had given him no reason to consider him more than the enemy.

So Skulker lowered his arm, and to Wulf's clear surprise, went quietly.

"We will talk." Skulker's tiny whisper met Wulf's ears as the hunter passed, and Wulf blinked in astonishment. His tail twitched and he shot Skulker a questioning look, but the ghost's eyes were dark and trained to the ground as he was shackled and led away.

No one had any more reason to hate the Warden than Wulf, for a multitude of reasons. And the hunter also knew of the friendship Wulf had enjoyed with the Ghost Prince. From this, Skulker could begin to cultivate a new plan, he was sure of it.

"Sir?" Approached one guard to Warden, sounding hesitant as he eyed the dark, still night. "Sir, shouldn't we look for the prince? He can't have gone far…he's still human. Can't even fly." It certainly sounded simple enough to the henchman, and his friend that was holding Wulf's chain nodded in mute agreement.

"That portals about to open, remember." The tall figure cast in white shook his head and snapped his fingers at Wulf.

"What can the boy possibly do? Even with this powers back, I thought his memory—"

Wulf, who had finished reopening a quick portal, glanced back at them, ears pricked.

"Not just the boy, you idiot _think_! Who's still with him?" The Warden snapped in annoyance.

Recognition dawned on the guards face, and both of them blanched. Their boss nodded when he saw they understood his words.

"…exactly. That Knight is never more deadly than when the boy's in danger, and we can't afford to tangle with him now. However…" The Warden smiled as he seemed to remember something, and the guards didn't look overly pleased to see such a grimace on the ghost's face.

"After that little rescue attempt we saw Plasmius doing…I can't imagine he's got much power to be a threat to us. When the portal opens tonight, we'll use the confusion and take them. It shouldn't be too hard. It's not like the prince will be much of a problem by himself."

The Warden laughed, and Wulf's ears drooped sadly as he followed them through, back into the Ghost Zone.

* * *

><p>"Irresponsible! Irrational! And among other things! You could have been killed—or <em>worse<em>! Do you ever think before you…"

Danny spaced out at this moment, distracted by feeding some dried jerky to the tiny puppy flopped in his lap. Now that he looked closer, Cujo did have a bit of greenish tint to his fur, and even his eyes, which were trained on the meat in the boy's fingers as he dropped it in the tiny maw. Cujo's tail wagged, and someone cleared their throat.

"A_hem_."

Danny winced and sheepishly raised his gaze.

From where he sat on the fallen log in front of the fire, Danny stared up at Vlad, who was gazing down at him reproachfully. That vein in Vlad's forehead was back, and Danny momentarily worried for the man's mental health.

"…I said sorry." Danny offered once more, a tiny unsure smile spreading over his face. Combined with those big hopeful blue eyes Vlad had to take a moment in his scolding.

"…you've got to stop doing such reckless things, Daniel." Vlad finally spoke, barely above a whisper. This wasn't the usual script, Vlad generally just yelled at him more, cursing his lackadaisical attitude or whatever it was that had gotten him in trouble this time. The boy had a penchant for attracting trouble, even Danny would admit that if pushed to. This time however, things were different. And so Danny said so, at perhaps great danger to his health. People didn't fight with Vlad, he yelled and they cowered. Except one.

"I didn't see you running in after me, Vlad." Danny grumbled, not caring if he sounded petulant, and Vlad froze. Danny went on, now playing with Cujo's ears. "You could have helped you know!"

Vlad watched the young man for a moment. Despite finding out his dog was a giant ghostly hell hound, he hadn't started treating the mutt any different than before. Granted, it probably helped Cujo had shrunken back to his gangly, puppy form that he also had. To this day, Vlad had no idea how Cujo had found his way to the human world when the portals were closed. But the dog was small, and he must have dug through something to end up in the paddock where he then found Danny. It had been impossible to remove the dog from its master's side once Cujo had found the boy a few months ago. The only creature more fiercely loyal to perhaps the point of folly than himself was the dog. Vlad would give him that much.

Not that that said much for _Vlad_, but still.

"I helped, Daniel.' Though he did not say how. "And do _not_ take that tone with me—" This worked on everyone else. Everyone.

But the boy stood up to his full height, his glare more hurt than it was angry.

"After I had to go first! Why were you just gonna _leave them_? I know you don't like normal people Vlad but what the _hell_. How could you just let someone burn like they were a damn decoy so we could get away—" Danny froze, eyes widening in realization and Vlad's jaw tightened as he turned away. He busied himself with tending the small campfire as Danny sat back down on the log with a thump.

"A decoy. That's what they were, wasn't it? …We _were_ running away." Danny breathed, his breath hitching. "Why? From who? I thought…"

What Danny thought, he didn't say. Though Vlad had a good enough guess. He was quiet himself a moment, finishing adding a small branch to the fire before he moved to sit down beside his prince. He gazed out into the grisly tangled brush surrounding them, and noticed the noise from the farm was gone, and that no one had come searching for them. They must have found the burnt clothes Vlad had planted then. Though that wasn't the plan in the first place, Vlad had to admit Skulker's fire had come in handy in more ways than one. Eith any luck, Vlad and Danny were now presumed dead. If only the Baxter's knew how dead they _really_ were.

"As I said earlier, I hadn't been entirely forthcoming with you. But it was _not_ to harm you, or to lead you on. Everything else is real, I promise. _Especially_ my promise to protect you."

"From _what_, Vlad." The boy was getting it now, from the desperation in his voice Vlad could tell. The arrival of the word 'what' meant that Danny's wary looks into the dark forest around them showed he was understanding. At least a little bit.

"_Tell me."_

Vlad had to hand it to Daniel. He hadn't lost that royal tone.

"…The Accident wasn't an accident."

Danny's furrowed brow rose, in danger of vanishing under his shaggy hair.

"There was…an attack. By an enemy of your family, and it was to take over the throne from your parents." Vlad tried to explain quickly, and would not look Danny in the eyes as he spoke.

"_Throne_? But that would make them…and that would make me…" Danny trailed off with his finger pointing at himself, eyes wide and looking a little lost. Vlad wished to comfort him but there was still more to tell.

Vlad nodded. Danny's finger leveled at Vlad suddenly.

"And you…?" He prompted softly.

"Your knight." Vlad said simply, before speaking on into the stunned silence. "Your parents, and your older sister, did not make it out of their castle. The Ghost Zone's kingdom was overrun by Pariah's men on the night of your eighteenth birthday. You were nearly killed, but I, along with help from your subjects, escaped through a closing portal into the human world. The portal exploded outward on us, nearly killing you and removing most of my powers from me."

"…ghost…zone?"

"As if being a prince wasn't enough, yes, Daniel. You are technically a ghost prince." Vlad helped his palms out, hoping to look complacent. "So you see, _that_ is the reason I acted…like those humans didn't matter. To me, they don't. As grateful as I was for their help, if Pariah Dark gets his hands on you, all hope _will_ be lost. There won't be a way to get your title back, and I'll have failed in my duty to protect you…" Danny didn't seem to be listening to this though. He looked rather ill, to be honest, his hand over his chest as he tried to breathe.

"And my parents? My sister? _Ghosts_ t-too?" The boy certainly looked pale enough to play the part it seemed, this new information no doubt swirling around Daniel's head as he sat there. It was a lot to take in, Vlad didn't blame him.

"And now they're…gone. And I won't ever see them again? They were murdered?"

Vlad simply nodded, and let the boy have a moment. This turned out to be his undoing, because Daniel's tired mind was moving much to fast now for even the boy to keep up it seemed.

"That ghost in the woods with the green hair, the one that started the fire? He was looking for me to _kill_—?"

"I can only assume. At this point, we have to assume any ghost could be on Pariah's side, whether they want to be or not is a different question. But we must remain in the shadows and be cautious—"

"No! No, I don't want to be cautious, I, I want him to pay! _He's_ the reason? The reason I don't know anything o-or, or have a family?! And I was stuck here, for over a year, when I could have been out looking for him!" Vlad looked horrified at the boy's outburst but quickly covered it, standing to meet the boy as he rose from his seat.

"Daniel, _please_, keep your voice down…"

"_NO_!" And on that shout the boy's eyes blazed toxic green, glowing in the night. They were ablaze with fury as well, and while Vlad didn't blame him, this wasn't the time or the place.

"Daniel your powers—"

"How could you keep this from me?! For so long! I thought you trusted me! I thought you—_grrhn_," Cujo whimpered as Daniel suddenly crumpled, clutching his stomach as bright blue rings surged outward from there. They vanished a moment later, sparking in the midnight hour as Vlad bent down and supported the boy before he toppled into the fire.

"Daniel!"

"W-what's happening…?"

That was the last thing Danny managed to groan before hot lightning shot up his spine. It was timed perfectly with a small explosion of light somewhere to his left, and he somehow turned his head, watching as a small circle of eerie green light slowly expanded outward. As it grew, the pain in his chest multiplied, making it hard to see or think or feel. And god, it hurt, the intense pain _pushing_ into him, making his heart freeze in place and his blood run cold in his veins. The back of his head throbbed and tears leaked from his blue eyes as they flashed to green and back to blue alarmingly fast. He was vaguely aware of Vlad shouting something, of Cujo growling and barking, and the wind howling as the giant green portal opened wider and wider, sucking leaves in and pulling at them both.

Then there were _figures_ pouring through the opening, and Danny's vision blurred dangerously. He felt himself set on the ground, confused when his arm fell through the wooden log and weakly pulled it out as it solidified again. Strange. The blue rings were back, two of them managing to move a few inches before they fizzled out, leaving Danny weaker than before. The wind howled around them, the stars above only serving to make him dizzier as it felt like his insides were freezing over and yet melting into mush all at the same time. God everything hurt…

"...Vl…ad…"

"Your bleeding heart has gotten that knight of yours in serious trouble, child." Answered an unfamiliar voice, from an unfamiliar white mass that was looming calmly over him. "I guess what they say is true…history has a naaasty habit of repeating itself."

This time, the blue rings would not be ignored. They grew and spread quickly, pain flaring over Danny's body as he cried out one last time, arching up before going limp.

His eyes slipped shut, and he knew no more.

* * *

><p><em>It was the strangest dream he'd ever had, mostly because slowly his mind began registering it was not in fact, a dream at all. <em>

_It was a _memory_. _

_Many of them, to be exact. Castle walls. Wide landscapes. An unearthly sky, with spectral creatures and a whole world to explore and, god he wanted to see it all. Fond, exasperated parents and a pretty older sister who loved him but could be a bit of a know it all. It was difficult to tell what was real, and what wasn't because surely people couldn't fly, and hair wasn't fire and there weren't giant bear-men with icicles for arms running about the place. These people and more were flooding his thoughts all at once and each fighting for a turn for his attention, coupled with these great washes of what could only be described as power. It crawled up his spine, into his very brain and seemed to latch there, pushing aside his humanity a bit too carelessly for his liking. There were many powers too, thought not quite as many as the memories, no. _

_Poor Danny was consciously aware of every sight, sound and smell from seventeen years and so no one could blame him for not being responsive for a while. _

* * *

><p>Awareness wasn't as painful as Danny expected it to be. Still feeling a bit weak and very sore, he took a few moments before the nauseousness passed him by. Stubbornly, he moved sluggishly toward awake, feeling every sore inch of his body, along with this strange tingling sensation all over. It was like his limbs had fallen asleep and were just waking up. This wasn't what really woke Danny though. What mostly got his attention were the hushed voices around him, and the snuffling sound.<p>

"Cujo…?" He tried to speak, but it came out as a feeble croak.

"_Amiko, vi vek! Vi aliaj, shush."_

"Oh, look at the poor dear. Hairs a mess and thinner than a twig."

"Give him some air, Wulf. I know you're excited to see him but really…"

That last voice he did know, and instead of filling him with relief it filled him with a dread that settled like an iron ball in his stomach. Danny's eyes flew open and he gasped—though nothing happened in his chest, surprisingly—and he tried to sit up, stumbling on his shaking arms. He was wearing stripes. Everyone around him was wearing stripes, and the faces, an old lady, a thin rather ugly boy, a giant black werewolf and _the hunter_ from before were all in front of him. His head throbbed, but he focused on the face of…S-something. His name started with an 'S.'

"Y-you! I…" He was torn between getting mad and having a coughing fit, so his body decided on both. Danny was aware of his own lungs inflating and deflating uselessly, and it was freaking him out, making him cough more.

"_Vi devus resti ankoraŭ amiko. Vi estas vundita…"_

"Skulker, you aren't helping either! Shoo!" Snapped the older woman, who tossed her hand at him a bit as if she were frightening off a fly.

"But I was just! Oh, fine, woman." The hunter, Skulker, grumbled and did move off.

"Don't worrie now dearie…everything will be alright." He knew this woman too, but Danny couldn't place her yet. His head tingled and he clutched it, groaning.

"_Vi nomas kaptitaj en tiu malliberejo 'Alright?' Freneza virino…"_

The older woman shot the werewolf a look, and he closed his muzzle, tail wagging sheepishly as he leaned over and butted the boy's shoulder in what could only be described as friendly.

"…huh?" Danny managed, but his palm was reaching for the black fur before he could stop himself. His hand sunk into the thick mane just before the tattered hoodie and Danny blinked slowly, eyebrows knitting. The hulking monster looked at him hopefully, wolf ears pricking to face him as Danny's fingers tightened in the black strands, eyes roaming over him thoughtfully. His tail wagged a little faster.

"I know you…" he mumbled quietly, and even though it felt like his brain was moving through treacle, recognition light up the boy's green eyes.

"Wulf!?"

"_Amiko_!" Danny was positively mauled then, mostly by a tongue and a cold wet nose that snuffled all through his hair and shoulders, making the kid laugh a little despite his aching body and everything that had just transgressed.

Danny smiled faintly as the giant tongue slapped his cheek, remembering getting 'attacked' like this quite a lot before…before The Accident that Wasn't an Accident. Wulf had been a very good friend of his, though the specifics weren't quite back yet, and Danny wasn't sure if they'd every return to him. Still, someone was better than the nothing he'd had before.

"Wulf, i-it's good to see you too buddy! Hah…careful." When a paw got too close to putting weight on his sore ribs.

Obediently Wulf sat back on his haunches and Danny sat up again. This time it was easier, though he made no move to go any farther from that point. He took in his surroundings this time, not just the people, and frowned at the gray, cold cells. The cement under him did little for his comfort, and the clothes were itchy and a bit thin for the cell he was in. It was a wide cell too, with smaller doorways on the opposite walls, and a little bench up by the iron wrought door, where Danny could see a little into the hall.

"Feeling alright dear? Here, try getting this down."

"Oh, thanks." As he took a sip he glanced at the woman who'd handed it to him. A moment later his cheeks bulged and he nearly spit it out, gagging. He gingerly set the filthy glass down without taking another drink, watching Wulf sniff at it and wrinkle his own nose, muttering what sounded like a term of disgust before nosing Danny's shoulder for attention.

"Sorry, your highness, soup water's all we've got."

"Ah, i-t's okay I—" He froze. "What did you just call me?"

"Don't recognize me yet, do you?" The woman's weathered face stretched into a smile, knowing and old. _Old_.

"…I kind of…it's hard. I remember stuff but I don't at the same time, I'm sorry I just…"

"Not to worry. They'll come back. In the meantime, let me see if I can jump start them your Grace." She patted his arm like a grandmother. Before she could offer him any tips as to her identity, he was vaguely aware of a memory where the same woman did it to him before leading him away from a massive pot she was cooking over.

"…the…castle chef?" he ventured, and then added, "And uh, please, you don't…just call me Danny, ma'am."

"Very good your highness! Why you were just a wee thing, no bigger than my knee when you started calling me 'lunch lady' and I—w-what?" She looked aghast, and the brief flaming white hair didn't help matters. "Call the prince by his—"

"_En tiuj tempoj? Estus pli sekura…"_ Wulf muttered, shooting her a glance that made her pause and, though begrudgingly, nod.

"I suppose."

Danny's stomach twisted as he looked around and saw something very strange.

"Hey, uhm, guys?" he asked, and realized by their confused look he probably didn't speak the part of a prince anymore. He shakily stood to his feet anyway, half propped up by Wulf before the room stopped leaning different directions on him. This was very strange indeed. So, in a small voice that fit his thin, scared looking frame, Danny quietly sent his worried question out into the world,

"…where's Vlad?"

* * *

><p><strong>Wulf's speech was made by the help of Googletranslator. Because you can no longer highlight and translate yourself without having to rewrite everything, (thanks a bunch FFN) I've put his speech below, in order. Until Danny can translate for us, I have to stick to short sentences and body language.<strong>

1. Friend, you awaken! You others, shush.

2. You have to stay still a friend. You are hurt.

3. You call trapped in this prison alright? Crazy woman…

4. Friend

5. In these times? It would be safer.


End file.
